THE  GIFT  OF 

MAY  TREAT  MORRISON 

IN  MEMORY  OF 
ALEXANDER   F  MORRISON 


Bassano,  Old   Bond   St.,   W. 


Memoirs  and  Correspondence 


OK 


Lyon   Playfair 

FIRST  LORD    PLAYFAIR    OF    ST.    ANDREWS 
PC,  G.C.B.,  LL.D.,  F.R.S.,  &e. 


BY 


WEMYSS      REID 


WITH     TWO     PORTRAITS 


NEW    YORK    AND    LONDON 

HARPER    &    BROTHERS    PUBLISHERS 

1890 


*ML 


VA 


I    DEDICATE    THESE    MEMOIRS    OI     HER    HUSBAND'S    LIFE    AND 

work   TO   EDITH,  LADY    PLAYFAIR.   in  grateful 

r  ACKNOWLEDGMENT  OF  THE  ASSISTANCE   SHE   HAS   GIVEN 

E 

IN    THEIR    PREPARATION. 


London,  October,  1890. 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

PAGE 

St.  Andrews  Seventy  Years  ago — Its  Primacy  among  Scottish 
Seats  of  Learning — A  Home  for  Retired  Officers  and 
Officials — The  Record  of  Scotsmen  in  Indian  Administra- 
tion— Principal  Playfair  and  His  Four  Sons — George 
Playfair,  Father  of  Lyon — Lyon's  Connection  with  St. 
Andrews — Characteristics — His  Autobiography — His  Life 
Penetrated  by  Patriotism — A  Pioneer  of  Sanitary  and 
Educational  Reform — As  Political  Economist — As  Poli- 
tician— As  Man t 

CHAPTER   II. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY. — I.  MY  RELATIONS. 

The  Playfairs  :  Professor  Playfair  and  the  Commander-in-Chief: 
Principal  Playfair  :  Mrs  Macdonald  and  Her  Doubts  :  Sir 
Hugh  Lyon  Playfair :  James  Playfair  and  His  Romance : 
Praying  for  My  Conversion  :  A  "  Token  " :  The  Sin  of 
Walking  on  Sundays  :  I  introduce  Myself  to  My  Father  : 
Dr  Macvicar  and  His  Definition  of  Water  :  My  Brothers. 
Playfair's  Earliest  Extant  Letter — Mrs  Macdonald  on  His 
Disposition  as  a  Child  .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .12 

CHAPTER    III. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY    CONTINUED. — II.    MY    EDUCATION. 

1825  to  1S38. 

My  Governesses :  At  School :  Holidays  at  Glamis  Castle  : 
Entering  St.  Andrews  University :  Beginning  a  Business 
Career :  Discomfiting  Nocturnal  Marauders :  Studying 
Medicine:  Friendship  with  Andrew  Ramsay,  the  Geologist : 
A  Chance  Meeting  with  Sir  Charles  Lyell :  Studying 
Chemistry :  Friendship  with  David  Livingstone :  James 
Young,  Founder  of  the  Paraffin  Oil  Industry  :  Studying  at 
Edinburgh  University  :  A  Voyage  to  India  :  In  a  Calcutta 
Office :  Home  again :  Studying  under  Liebig  at  Giessen  : 
"  Doctor  of  Philosophy  "  :  Appointed  Chemical  Manager 


Vlll  CON  TENTS. 

PAGE 

of  Print  Works :  Punctuality  Handsomely  Rewarded : 
Among  the  Philosophers  of  Berlin.  Correspondence  with 
Liebig — Chemists  and  Chemistry 28 

CHAPTER  IV. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY    CONTINUED. III.    MY    LIFE    IN    LANCASHIRE. 

1 84 1  to  1844. 

Settled  at  Clitheroe :  Parleying  with  Labour  Rioters :  A  Lesson 
in  Ventilation  :  Lecturing  at  the  Manchester  Royal  Institu- 
tion :  Anecdote  of  Dalton  :  An  Offer  from  Faraday :  Sir 
Robert  Peel :  An  Inquiry  into  Charcoal  Iron  Furnaces:  A 
Mishap  to  Bunsen  :  Edwin  Chadwick  and  His  Argument 
from  Satan :  Appointed  a  Member  of  the  Royal  Com- 
mission on  the  Health  of  Towns :  Researches  into  Agri- 
cultural Chemistry  :  Earl  Spencer  (Lord  Althorp) :  Dean 
Buckland  :  Through  England  and  Scotland  :  Mr  Crosse 
and  the  Wood-louse :  Appointed  Chemist  to  the  Geological 
Survey :  An  Evening  with  Stephenson  :  Recollections  of 
Joule :  Impressions  of  Manchester.  Dean  Buckland  and 
Sir  H.  de  la  Beche  urge  Peel  to  give  Playfair  an  Appoint- 
ment— Peel's  Esteem  for  Playfair — Letters  from  Liebig    .       53 

CHAPTER   V. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY      CONTINUED. — IV.       BEGINNING      OF      MY 
LONDON    LIFE. 

1845  to  1850. 

Settled  in  London:  A  Call  from  Sir  James  Clark :  Sir  Henry 
de  la  Beche  :  Distinguished  Colleagues  :  Inquiring  into  the 
Sanitary  Condition  of  Buckingham  Palace :  Reporting 
upon  the  Best  Coals  for  Steam  Navigation  :  Mining  Acci- 
dents :  The  Potato  Famine  in  Ireland  :  Effect  of  Emigra- 
tion upon  Potato  Production :  Marriage :  Oersted :  A 
Letter  which  led  to  the  Foundation  of  the  Petroleum 
Industry :  Inquiring  into  the  Cholera :  The  Duke  of 
Wellington  and  the  Chartist  Demonstration :  Sworn  a 
Special  Constable  :  In  Paris  during  the  Revolution  of  1848 : 
Louis  Blanc  and  Louis  Napoleon  ....       91 

CHAPTER   VI. 

THE    GREAT    EXHIBITION. 

Becoming  a  Publicist — Playfair's  Work  as  a  Special  Com- 
missioner of  the  1851  Exhibition.  Autobiography:  Intro- 
duced to  the  Prince  Consort  by  Sir  Robert  Peel:  Sir  Henry 
Cole  :  Preparing  a  New  Classification  for  the  Exhibition  : 
A  Tour  through  the  Manufacturing  Districts:  Sir  Joseph 
Paxton :  The  Exhibition  opened :  Superintending  the 
Awards  of  the  Juries  :  The  Exhibitor  and  the  Queen  :  The 


CONTENTS.  IX 

PAGE 

Commissioners  received  by  Louis  Napoleon :  Appointed 
a  C.B.  and  a  Gentleman  Usher  to  Prince  Albert :  The 
Crystal  Palace :  An  Episcopal  Objection  to  Undraped 
Statues.  Correspondence  with  the  Prince  Consort — 
Investing  the  Exhibition  Surplus — Playfair's  Part  in  the 
Negotiations — The  Scheme  described — Appointed  Secre- 
tary of  the  Science  and  Art  Department — Organising  the 
Royal  College  of  Science — A  Member  of  the  Athenaeum     .     109 

CHAPTER  VII. 

EDUCATIONAL   REFORM. 

Attending  the  Royal  Children  at  the  Exhibition — Arranging 
for  the  Prince  Consort's  Visit  to  Birmingham.  Auto- 
biography :  Lecturing  for  the  Society  of  Arts :  Inquiring 
into  Technical  Education  on  the  Continent :  Organising 
the  "Food  Collection"  for  the  South  Kensington  Museum: 
Establishing  a  National  Museum  in  Edinburgh :  Dr 
George  Wilson  and  his  dying  Epigram  :  Crusading  in  the 
Cause  of  Technical  Education  :  The  Duke  of  Wellington's 
Funeral :  Sir  Charles  Wheatstone :  Reading  Ciphers  in 
the  'Times':  Acquaintance  with  Babbage  :  Lord  and  Lady 
Ashburton :  Mrs  Norton :  Lord  Granville :  Lord  Palmer- 
ston  and  the  Cipher:  Inventing  Shells:  Lord  Dundonald's 
Scheme  for  Reducing  Fortresses :  Appointed  a  Com- 
missioner of  the  International  Exhibition  of  1855  :  Ac- 
quaintance with  French  Savants :  Missing  the  Mastership 
of  the  Mint :  Second  Marriage.  Faraday  on  the  New 
Lucifer  Matches — Playfair's  Contempt  for  Misplaced 
Humanitarianism  in  War — Liebig  on  Scientific  Agri- 
culture   145 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

LIFE    IN    EDINBURGH. 

Playfair  "the  Man  Behind  the  Scenes" — Scientific  Honours — 
Place  in  Society — His  Passion  for  Scientific  Research — 
Appointed  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  Edinburgh  University 
— Resigning  his  Post  as  Gentleman  Usher.  Auto- 
biography :  Chemical  Theories  and  their  Exponents  in 
Edinburgh  University  :  Sir  Robert  Christison  :  Sir  James 
Simpson  and  Experiments  in  Anaesthesia  :  Reforming  the 
University  :  Declining  the  Office  of  Principal :  Giving  the 
Prince  of  Wales  Lessons  :  Royal  Students  at  the  Univer- 
sity: Death  of  the  Prince  Consort:  President  of  the  Royal 
Commission  on  the  Herring  Fishery:  Appointing  the  Jurors 
for  the  International  Exhibition  of  1862:  Lord  Stratford 
de  Redcliffe  :  Honours  from  Foreign  Princes  :  A  Member 
of  the  Royal  Commission  on  the  Cattle  Plague  :  Anecdote 
of  the  Princess  Alice  :  A  Visit  to  Coburg  :  Dr  John  Brown  : 
the  Marquis  of  Tweeddale :  Lady  Ruthven :  Leaving 
Edinburgh.  Playfair's  Professorial  Zeal — His  Work  for 
the  Exhibition  of  1862 — The   Prince  of  Wales    and   the 


X  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Cauldron  of  Boiling  Lead — Playfair  and  the  Edinburgh 
Memorial  of  the  Prince  Consort — His  Unpopularity  in 
Connection  with  the  Cattle  Plague  Report  .        .        -171 

CHAPTER    IX. 

IN     PARLIAMENT. 

Beginning  a  Political  Career — Member  for  Edinburgh  and  St. 
Andrews  Universities — Political  Convictions — Appointed 
one  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  1851  Exhibition.  Auto- 
biography :  Liberal  Member  for  a  Conservative  Constitu- 
ency :  Maiden  Speech :  Appointment  of  a  Liberal  Leader 
in  the  House  of  Commons :  President  of  the  Midland 
Institute :  The  Prince  Consort's  Superiority  to  Jealousy : 
Opposing  the  Cry  of  "  Over-Education  " :  Supporting  a 
Bill  for  opening  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  to  Roman 
Catholics :  Attitude  towards  the  Irish  University  Bill : 
Mr  Gladstone's  Magnanimity :  Appointed  Postmaster- 
General  :  President  of  the  Civil  Service  Commission : 
Opposing  the  Anti-Vivisectionists :  Reforming  the  Scottish 
Universities.  Playfair  the  Introducer  of  the  Halfpenny 
Post-Card — Reception  of  his  Pamphlet  on  "Teaching 
Universities  and  Examining  Boards  " — His  Popularity  at 
the  Post  Office— The  Tichborne  Case — The  Election  of 
Liberal  Leader  in  the  Commons — Averting  a  Disastrous 
Schism 205 

CHAPTER    X. 

PARLIAMENTARY    WORK. 

Playfair's  Domestic  Affections — Death  of  His  Second  Wife. 
Autobiography  :  The  Dundonald  Case :  The  Victory 
Won  at  Last :  A  Visit  to  the  States :  Emerson  and 
Longfellow :  Chicago :  A  "  Typical  American "  from 
Paisley :  Adopting  a  Young  Lady :  At  Washington :  A 
Visit  to  the  Lunatic  Asylum :  Attacking  the  Indian  Salt 
Tax :  Presiding  over  the  Manchester  Water  Supply 
Committee :  The  International  Exhibition  of  1878  : 
Another  Visit  to  America :  Reception  at  Montreal : 
Curious  Experiences  in  a  Rough  District :  Dining  with  the 
Canadian  Cabinet :  A  Talk  with  Lord  Dufferin.  Play- 
fair's  Relations  with  the  United  States — His  Letters  from 
America  and  Elsewhere— His  Correspondence  with  Miss 
Russell  and  Her  Family  prior  to  His  Marriage- — His 
Social  Charm — His  Passion  for  Public  Work       .         .         .     234 

CHAPTER    XI. 

CHAIRMAN    AND    DEPUTV-SPEAKKK. 

Playfair's  Liberalism  becoming  More  Pronounced — His  Seat 
in  Danger— Letters  from  Edinburgh.  Autobiography: 
Appointed  Chairman  and  Deputy-Speaker :  Irish  Obstruc- 


CONTENTS.  XI 

PAGE 

tion :  Suspending  the  Obstructionists :  Resignation :  Letters 
from  Mr  Gladstone,  the  Speaker,  and  Sir  Stafford  North- 
cote  :  A  Reaction :  Made  a  Knight  Commander  of  the 
Bath :  In  Defence  of  Vivisection  and  Vaccination  :  Grand 
Committees.  Why  Playfair  refused  the  Office  of  Chief 
Whip — His  Suspension  of  Irish  Obstructionists — A  Corre- 
spondence with  Mr  Chaplin — The  Absorbing  Character  of 
His  Duties  as  Chairman — His  Loyalty  as  an  Independent 
Member — His  Personal  Popularity  with  the  Irish  Members 
— Securing  a  Knighthood  for  Professor  Owen      .         .         .     285 

CHAPTER    XII. 

VICE-PRESIDENT   OF   THE    COUNCIL. 

Playfair's  Ties  with  America — Why  he  never  became  a 
Cabinet  Minister — His  Acceptance  of  Home  Rule — 
Appointed  Honorary  Secretary  of  the  Commission  for  the 
1851  Exhibition — His  Views  on  the  Functions  of  a  Minister 
for  Scotland — Decides  to  retire  from  the  Representation 
of  Edinburgh  University — His  Candidature  for  South  Leeds 
— The  Constituency  described — His  Brilliant  Victory — His 
Connection  with  the  "  Hawarden  Kite" — Appointed  Vice- 
President  of  the  Council.  Autobiography  :  Celebration 
of  the  Tercentenary  of  Edinburgh  University  :  With  the 
British  Association  at  Montreal  and  at  Aberdeen :  At 
Glamis  Castle  again  :  Reform  of  the  Medical  Profession : 
Re-election  for  South  Leeds 330 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE    QUEEN'S   JUBILEE   AND    INTERNATIONAL   ARBITRATION. 

Autobiography:  The  Jubilee  Service  in  Westminster  Abbey : 
Progress  of  the  Nation  during  the  Queen's  Reign  :  Foreign 
Royalties :  Representing  England  at  the  Centenary  of  the 
Declaration  of  American  Independence  :  A  Memorial  to 
President  Cleveland  in  favour  of  Arbitration :  Opposing 
"Fair  Trade":  A  Plea  for  Technical  Education:  The 
future  Fiscal  Policy  of  the  United  States.  Legalising  the 
Sale  of  Margarine 354 

CHAPTER    XIV. 

"  BARON   PLAYFAIR    OF    ST.    ANDREWS.'' 

A  Touching  Incident.  Autobiography  :  Opening  of  the  Glasgow 
Exhibition :  Mistaken  for  a  State  Prisoner :  Death  of  the 
Emperor  Frederick  of  Germany :  The  Widowed  Empress 
and  Prince  Bismarck:  Resigning  the  Honorary  Secretary- 
ship of  the  Exhibition  Commission :  A  Presentation : 
Supporting  a  Royal  Grant :  The  General  Election  of 
1892:  Raised  to  the  Peerage:  Farewell  to  South  Leeds. 
The    South    Leeds  Election — An    Interesting   Colloquy — 


xii  CONTENTS. 


PAGE 


Appointed  a  Lord-in-Waiting  to  the  Queen — Letters  from 
Windsor  Castle — Work  on  the  Aged  Poor  Commission — 
Grand  Cross  of  the  Bath — In  Canada  ....     373 

CHAPTER    XV. 

PLAYFAIR    AND  THE    UNITED   STATES. 

Playfair's  Sojourn  at  Nahant — Almost  a  Citizen  of  the  United 
States — Letters  to  Lady  Playfair's  Family — The  Venezu- 
elan Crisis — Negotiating  Peace — Correspondence  with  Mr 
Chamberlain  and  Mr  Bayard — Playfair's  Share  in  the 
Settlement  of  the  Dispute 405 

CHAPTER    XVI. 

SERVICES  TO    SCIENCE   AND    EDUCATION. 

Scientific  Appreciation  of  Playfair  by  Professor  Crum-Brown— 
Sir  Edward  Frankland  on  his  Investigations  into  the  Best 
Coal  for  the  Royal  Navy — Playfair  on  Health  and  Disease 
— On  Vivisection — On  the  Applications  of  Science  to 
Commerce — On  the  Connection  between  Man's  Necessities 
and  the  Industrial  Arts — Playfair's  Work  as  an  Exhibition 
Commissioner — The  National  Buildings  at  South  Ken- 
sington His  Monument — Initiator  of  "  The  Victoria  and 
Albert  Museum" 427 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

THE    END. 

Adjudicating  in  the  '  Statist '  Competition — Speech  at  the 
Jubilee  Banquet  of  the  Cobden  Club — Failing  Health — 
Residence  at  Torquay — Death — Letters  of  Condolence  to 
Lady  Playfair — Burial  at  St.  Andrews  .         .         .         .457 


Memoirs  and  Correspondence 

OF 

Lyon  Playfair. 


CHAPTER   I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

St.  Andrews  Seventy  Years  ago — Its  Primacy  among  Scottish  Seats  of 
Learning— A  Home  for  Retired  Officers  and  Officials — The  Record  of 
Scotsmen  in  Indian  Administration — Principal  Playfair  and  His  Four 
Sons — George  Playfair,  Father  of  Lyon — Lyon's  Connection  with  St. 
Andrews — Characteristics — His  Autobiography — His  Life  penetrated 
by  Patriotism — A  Pioneer  of  Sanitary  and  Educational  Reform—  As 
Political  Economist — As  Politician — As  Man. 

The  grey  old  city  of  St.  Andrews,  with  the  ruins  of  its 
great  cathedral  facing  the  waters  of  the  German  Ocean,  its 
ancient  university  buildings  and  its  historic  golf  links,  has 
become  in  recent  times  familiar  to  a  large  proportion  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Great  Britain.  It  is  now  a  fashionable 
watering-place,  crowded  for  three  months  every  year  by 
visitors  from  all  parts  of  the  country  ;  whilst  the  game  of 
golf,  which  has  been  played  at  St.  Andrews  without  inter- 
mission for  centuries,  draws  every  summer  to  the  city  an 
increasing  number  of  the  votaries  of  that  most  healthful 
and  enjoyable  recreation.  But  in  the  days  when  golf  was 
almost  unknown  beyond  the  breezy  Fifeshire  links,  and 
when  the  railway  system  had  not  yet  annihilated  distances, 
St.  Andrews  was  altogether  different  from  the  gay  and 
bustling  city  of  the  end  of  the  century.  Seventy  years  ago 
it  was  probably  the  sleepiest  little  town  in  Great  Britain. 

B 


?',';  :      :  /.        .MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

In  many  respects  it  was  little  better  than  a  fishing  village. 
For  a  few  months  every  year  a  scanty  muster  of  red- 
gowned  students  gave  passing  animation  to  the  scene  ;  but 
as  a  rule  its  wide  streets  were  silent  and  grass-grown,  and 
the  only  sound  that  indicated  the  existence  of  any  form  of 
human  activity  was  the  whirr  of  the  loom  or  the  sharp 
crash  of  the  shuttle  as  it  caught  the  ear  of  the  wayfarer 
when  he  passed  the  cottage  of  some  busy  weaver. 

Yet  even  then,  in  its  period  of  decay  and  desertion,  St, 
Andrews  had  certain  claims  upon  the  respect  of  the  outer 
world.  Although  its  university  had  vigorous  rivals  at 
Edinburgh,  Glasgow  and  Aberdeen,  it  took  precedence  of 
any  of  them,  and  as  the  most  ancient  seat  of  learning  in 
North  Britain,  its  children  claimed  for  St.  Andrews  the 
name  of  the  Scots  Oxford.  It  was  not  its  academic  fame, 
however,  which  was  its  only  title  to  special  distinction. 
Living  and  house  rent  were  both  cheap  in  the  old  city.  It 
was  free  from  the  more  aggressive  intrusions  of  modern 
trade.  Its  university  gave  the  little  town  a  microscopic 
social  circle  of  cultivated  people,  some  of  whom  had  repu- 
tations that  were  national  rather  than  local.  Its  keen 
health-giving  air  and  its  delightful  golf  links  added  to  its 
attractiveness.  In  short,  it  combined  the  advantages  ot 
Oxford  and  Leamington,  and,  as  was  not  unnatural,  it 
became,  in  consequence,  a  favourite  place  of  residence  for 
retired  officers  of  the  army  and  navy,  and  for  a  class  not 
less  important,  retired  East  Indian  officials.  During  the 
first  half  of  the  century,  indeed,  those  whom  the  world  at 
that  time  designated  as  "nabobs  "  were  a  common  feature 
in  the  life  of  St.  Andrews. 

It  has  been  the  good  fortune  of  the  Scottish  people  of 
the  cultured  classes  for  many  generations  to  furnish  a  liberal 
supply  of  recruits  to  these  three  branches  of  the  public 
service,  and  more  particularly  to  the  last  named.  Students 
of  Indian  history  know  how  the  names  of  Scotsmen  abound 


INTRODUCTORY.  3 

in  every  department  of  the  administration  of  India  during 
the  last  hundred  years.  And  Scotland  has  no  reason  to 
feel  ashamed  of  the  record  which  these  sons  of  hers  have 
left  behind  them.  Somehow  or  other  they  seem  to  have 
possessed  in  a  peculiar  degree  the  qualities  which  are  of 
greatest  value  in  the  man  who  undertakes  the  duties  of  the 
public  service.  Caution  combined  with  enthusiasm,  shrewd- 
ness of  judgment  allied  to  steadfastness  of  purpose,  great 
powers  of  work,  simplicity  of  life,  a  natural  frugality,  and 
above  all  an  unassailable  devotion  and  loyalty — these 
seem  to  be  the  qualities  which  may  be  confidently  looked 
for  in  that  order  of  Scotsmen  to  whom  the  service  of  our 
country  has  owed  so  much.  Many  of  the  men  who,  in  the 
early  years  of  the  nineteenth  century,  settled  down  in  the 
quiet  streets  of  St.  Andrews  to  pass  their  closing  days 
on  its  links  and  in  its  simply  furnished  drawing-rooms, 
were  men  who,  in  distant  lands,  had  done  great  deeds  for 
Britain  in  days  when  the  newspaper  had  not  yet  become 
the  trumpeter  of  contemporary  fame. 

Among  the  many  families  in  St.  Andrews  connected  by 
various  links  with  our  ever-growing  empire  in  the  East, 
there  was  none  better  known  than  that  of  the  Playfairs. 
The  name  was  one  that  had  long  been  familiar  in  the 
annals  of  the  ancient  city.  If  one  does  not  find  Playfairs 
taking  part  in  those  stormy  scenes  which  once  gave  St. 
Andrews  a  place  of  importance  in  the  political  and 
ecclesiastical  affairs  of  Great  Britain — if  no  Playfair,  for 
example,  is  to  be  found  in  the  company  of  Cardinal 
Beaton,  John  Knox,  Andrew  Melville,  or  Archbishop 
Sharpe — the  name  rises  into  notice  almost  as  soon  as  the 
days  of  storm  have  passed,  and  St.  Andrews,  after  the 
long  strife  of  contending  kirks  and  rival  dynasties,  has 
turned  itself  to  the  occupations  of  peace.  In  1738  a 
certain  James  Playfair  was  born  at  Bendochy,  in  the 
county  of  Forfar.    In  1773  he  married  one  Margaret  Lyon, 


4  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON    PLAYFAIR. 

a  kinswoman  of  the  family  of  the  Earls  of  Strathmore ; 
and  in  1799,  having  won  distinction  as  a  writer  of 
historical  and  geographical  works,  he  became  Principal  of 
the  United  Colleges  of  St.  Leonards  and  St.  Salvator. 
The  reader  will  learn  more  of  Principal  Playfair  and  of  his 
pedigree  by  and  by.  Here  it  is  only  necessary  to  say  that 
just  a  hundred  years  ago  this  worthy  man,  as  Principal  of 
the  University  of  St.  Andrews,  was  at  the  head  of  the 
society  of  the  city,  and  the  father  of  a  numerous  family, 
all  of  whom  played  a  useful  and  honourable  part  in  life, 
and  one  of  whom  became  the  father  of  the  subject  of 
this  memoir.  Three  of  Principal  Playfair's  four  sons  had 
careers  in  the  public  service.  The  eldest,  George,  was  a 
surgeon  in  the  employment  of  the  East  India  Company ; 
the  second,  William,  and  the  third,  Hugh,  were  officers  in 
the  Indian  army.  Only  one  son,  the  youngest,  took  to  a 
commercial  life,  and  became  a  merchant  at  Glasgow.  The 
Playfairs  consequently  furnished  a  striking  example  of 
those  Scotsmen  of  culture  and  social  position  who  devote 
themselves  to  the  public  service,  finding  in  the  duties 
and  the  honours  of  that  service  a  more  satisfying 
compensation  than  that  which  attends  the  mere  pursuit 
of  wealth.  Like  all  their  order,  they  turned  with 
instinctive  affection  from  the  distant  lands  in  which 
they  did  their  life's  work  to  the  grey  old  city  which 
had  been  the  cradle  of  their  race.  George  Playfair 
sent  his  children,  of  whom  Lyon  was  the  second, 
from  the  dangers  of  childhood  in  India  to  spend  their 
youth  in  St.  Andrews.  The  other  sons  of  the  Principal 
themselves  came  back  to  their  native  place  to  end  their 
days,  and  one  of  them,  Sir  Hugh,  commonly  known  as 
"the  Provost,"  became,  about  the  middle  of  the  present 
century,  the  benevolent  despot  and  ruling  power  in  the  city. 
Lyon  Playfair,  though  born  at  Chunar,  in  the  province 
of  Bengal,   passed   his   youth   at   St.   Andrews.       At   St. 


INTRODUCTORY.  5 

Andrews  he  first  tasted  the  joys  of  learning,  and  at  St. 
Andrews,  at  the  close  of  his  long  and  busy  life,  his  remains 
were  laid  to  rest  in  the  burial-ground  that  surrounds  the 
ruins  of  the  old  cathedral.  If  one  desired  to  find  a  typical 
example  of  that  class  of  Scotsmen  of  which  I  have  spoken, 
it  would  not  be  easy  to  find  one  more  striking  than  that 
afforded  by  Lyon  Playfair.  The  man,  the  story  of  whose 
life  is  to  be  told  in  these  pages,  never  rose  to  that  dazzling 
eminence  which  justifies  the  world  in  describing  a  human 
being  as  supremely  "great."  He  did  not  pretend  to  the 
genius  which  lifts  a  few  men  high  above  their  fellows.  It 
cannot  be  affirmed  that  he  was  one  of  the  great  figures 
of  his  generation.  Yet  his  life,  though  it  was  lived 
without  ostentation  and  without  parade,  was  undoubtedly 
one  of  the  fullest  and  most  useful  lives  of  his  time. 
It  was  emphatically  a  life  of  work,  and  of  work  not 
for  the  accumulation  of  wealth  or  the  achievement  of 
fame,  but  for  the  acquiring  of  truth  and  for  the  service  of 
his  fellow-men.  That  he  won  what  the  world  regards  as 
a  brilliant  personal  success  is  not  to  be  denied.  He,  the 
son  of  a  surgeon  on  the  Bengal  establishment,  beginning 
life  as  a  student  of  science,  and  compelled  to  look  almost 
entirely  to  his  own  exertions  for  his  advancement,  rose 
to  be  one  of  the  acknowledged  counsellors  of  successive 
Governments  upon  questions  that  affected  the  most  im- 
portant interests  of  the  people,  one  of  the  most  influential 
leaders  and  teachers  in  the  education  of  the  nation,  and 
one  of  the  most  active  of  those  men  who,  "behind  the 
scenes,"  exercise  so  great  a  control  over  public  affairs. 
That  he  won  for  himself  honours  varied  and  distinguished 
need  not  be  told.  Their  record  will  appear  in  due  time. 
But  his  most  conspicuous  success  was  not  in  the  winning 
of  stars  and  titles,  but  in  the  actual  accomplishment  of 
work  which  has  not  only  benefited  his  own  generation, 
but  must  benefit  many  generations  to  come. 


6  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

We  have  to  tell  here  the  story  of  how  the  young  Scotch 
student,  who  had  hardly  emerged  from  his  boyhood  when 
he  began  to  feel  the  passion  for  public  service,  worked  in 
that  service   throughout  a  long  and  laborious  life,   and 
achieved  in  it  triumphs  that  the  world  will   not  lightly 
forget.     It  is,  most  fortunately  for  his  biographer,  a  story 
that  is  told  partly  in  Lyon  Playfair's  own  words.     The 
chapters  of  autobiography  of  which  this  memoir  will  in  part 
consist  were  not  prepared  for  publication.     In  the  first 
instance  they  were  jotted  down  at  irregular  intervals  for 
the  benefit  of  his  family.     They  were  never  revised  by 
their  writer,  and  as  they  advance  they  lose  something  of 
continuity.      At  the   best,  they  are  a  plain,  unvarnished 
record,  in  which  many  incidents  of  interest  in  the  life  with 
which  they  deal  are  either  omitted  altogether  or  passed 
over   hurriedly.     They  consequently   require   not   a   few 
additions    in    order    to    make    the    narrative    complete ; 
whilst  here  and  there  the  meaning  of  a  particular  passage 
needs  elucidation.     But  wherever  it  has  been  possible  I 
have  left  Lyon  Playfair  to  tell  the  story  of  his  life  in  his 
own  way.     All  that  I  ask  of  the  reader  at  the  outset  is 
to   remember   that  this   is   emphatically  a   story   not  of 
adventure,  but  of  work.     The  character  of  the  man  whose 
life  it  tells  will  be  gathered  in  part  from  the  tasks  he 
accomplished,  in  part  from  his  own  letters  and  from  the 
reminiscences  of  his  friends,  and  in  part  from  a  knowledge 
of  that   side  of  the   Scotch   character  which  is  specially 
noticeable   among  the    men   of   the    class   to   which   he 
belonged.     I  have  thought  it  right  to  touch  upon  this  last 
subject  at  the  outset  of  my  task  ;  for  rightly  to  understand 
the  character  and  the  life  of  Lyon  Playfair  one  must  under- 
stand something  of  the  spirit  which  has  led  so  many  young 
Scotsmen  to  devote   themselves   to   the   service  of  their 
country  in  the  arts  of  peace  with  a  patriotic  fervour  as 
intense  as  that  which  ever  inspired  one  of  the  heroes  of 


INTRODUCTORY.  7 

arms.  To  Lyon  Play  fair  the  good  of  his  country  was  a 
thing  to  be  pursued  not  merely  in  the  Senate,  or  on  con- 
tested fields,  but  in  the  laboratory  and  the  council  room,  in 
social  intercourse,  and  in  the  humdrum  round  of  daily  life. 
It  was  a  thing  never  to  be  lost  sight  of,  no  matter  how  in- 
congruous with  public  work  the  scene  or  the  circumstances 
might  be.  It  was  something  calling  not  so  much  for 
isolated  deeds  of  heroism  as  for  a  patient  and  unremitting 
care,  extending  even  to  the  most  trivial  tasks  and  incidents. 
The  reader  will  see  how  conscientiously  he  gave  effect 
to  this  conviction  as  the  story  of  his  life  is  unfolded  in 
these  pages. 

In  one  respect  Playfair  was  exceptionally  fortunate. 
That  was  in  the  period  over  which  his  life's  work  ex- 
tended. Born  when  his  country  was  slowly  beginning 
to  recover  from  the  severe  exhaustion  of  the  Napoleonic 
wars,  and  when  the  extension  of  personal  freedom  and 
constitutional  rights  engaged  the  attention  of  the  great 
majority  of  the  population,  he  began  his  own  public 
work  after  the  excitement  of  the  struggle  for  Parlia- 
mentary reform  had  died  away,  and  at  a  time  when 
questions  affecting  the  social  and  economic  condition  of 
the  people  were  coming  to  the  front.  He  may  be  said 
with  accuracy  to  have  been  present  at  the  birth  of 
sanitary  reform,  not  only  in  this  country,  but  in  modern 
Europe.  The  very  first  office  which  he  held  in  the 
service  of  the  State  was  in  connection  with  that  Royal 
Commission  of  Inquiry  into  the  Health  of  Towns  which 
laid  the  foundations  of  sanitary  science,  as  we  now  know 
it,  and  which  was  the  first  step  in  the  revolution  that 
has  changed  the  conditions  of  urban  life  throughout  the 
civilised  world.  The  reader  will  learn  later  on  some- 
thing of  the  conditions  which  prevailed  in  our  towns 
before  Playfair  and  his  colleagues  began  their  labours, 
and   something   also   of   the    marvellous    benefits    which 


8  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

those  labours  have  conferred  upon  mankind.  It  was 
Playfair's  great  happiness  to  be  enlisted  in  this  work  of 
sanitary  reform  in  its  very  earliest  stages.  He  threw 
himself  into  the  battle  against  dirt  and  disease  with  as 
great  an  ardour  as  that  which  any  soldier  ever  dis- 
played upon  the  field  of  battle ;  and  to  the  end  of  his 
days  he  remained  what  he  had  been  in  his  youth,  the 
most  earnest   and  most  energetic  of  sanitary  reformers. 

Even  more  fortunate  was  he  in  the  fact  that  almost 
simultaneously  with  this  new  effort  on  behalf  of  the 
health  of  the  people,  there  arose  in  England  the  great 
educational  movement  which  has  been  one  of  the  chief 
national  glories  of  the  nineteenth  century.  A  student, 
with  a  student's  devotion  to  science,  Playfair  was 
naturally  attracted  to  the  scientific  or  technical  side  of 
the  educational  problem,  and,  most  fortunately  for  his 
country,  he  was  enlisted  almost  at  the  outset  in  that 
great  national  undertaking  out  of  which  was  destined 
to  spring  the  whole  system  of  scientific  and  technical 
instruction  which,  before  the  century  reached  its  close, 
had  been  brought  into  existence.  No  wise  man  will  lay 
much  stress  upon  luck — the  mere  chances  of  fortune — 
in  judging  of  any  human  life.  But  it  is  impossible  to 
ignore  the  chapter  of  accidents,  and  in  writing  of  Play- 
fair  one  cannot  but  recognise  the  fortunate  character  of 
that  accident  which  placed  such  a  man,  with  his  special 
intellectual  sympathies  and  aptitudes,  in  close  communi- 
cation with  Prince  Albert  at  the  time  when  that  illustrious 
Prince  was  taking  the  first  steps  towards  introducing  an 
efficient  system  of  art  and  science  training  into  the 
country  of  his  adoption.  No  better  instrument  could 
have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Prince,  and  no  task 
more  perfectly  suited  to  Playfair's  special  sympathies 
and  talents  than  that  entrusted  to  him  by  his  eminent 
patron,  could  possibly  have  been  found.     It  was,  indeed, 


INTRODUCTORY.  9 

a  rare  stroke  of  good  fortune  for  Playfair  himself— and, 
as  I  think,  for  his  country  also — that  he  was  thus  intro- 
duced in  his  early  youth  to  two  such  fields  of  labour  as 
those  connected  with  the  health  and  the  education  of 
the  community.  When  the  historian  comes  to  deal 
with  the  story  of  Great  Britain  during  the  latter  half  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  he  will  have  more  to  say  of  the 
great  social  and  intellectual  advancement  in  the  con- 
dition of  the  people  which  that  term  has  witnessed,  than 
of  the  struggles  of  contending  parties  in  Parliament,  or 
even  of  our  armies  on  foreign  soil.  In  the  chapter  which 
history  devotes  to  the  social  progress  of  our  century, 
Pla3rfair's  name  must  always  hold  a  place  of  honour. 

He  was  fortunate  again  in  beginning  his  public  career 
at  the  moment  when  steam,  as  applied  more  particularly 
to  ocean  travel,  was  being  pressed  into  the  service  of 
mankind.  In  his  early  youth  Great  Britain  was  indeed 
an  island,  isolated  in  many  important  respects  from  the 
rest  of  the  world.  He  lived  to  see  its  insularity  destroyed, 
and  the  ocean,  which  once  separated  it  from  the  rest  of 
the  world,  converted  into  the  highway  which  unites  it 
with  every  other  portion  of  the  globe.  He  lived  to  see 
the  whole  earth  converted  into  one  huge  market  and 
emporium,  and  the  food  supplies  of  the  working-men  of 
London  brought  to  their  doors  from  the  plains  of  North- 
western Canada,  the  fields  of  India,  and  the  spurs  of 
the  Andes.  A  close  student  of  that  branch  of  science 
which  deals  with  the  economic  conditions  of  life,  Play- 
fair  was  a  watchful  and  intelligent  observer  of  the 
startling  developments  which  these  conditions  under- 
went. To  the  new  order  of  things  he  sought  to  apply 
the  old  economic  truths.  In  those  truths  he  believed  as 
firmly  as  he  believed  in  the  accuracy  of  the  multiplica- 
tion table.  He  was,  indeed,  unswerving  and  inflexible 
in  his  adherence  to  the  political  economy  which  lie  had 


10  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

learned  as  a  youth.  As  time  passed,  new  schools  arose 
in  political  economy  as  in  other  branches  of  intellectual 
study,  and  men  who  thought  that  even  the  multiplica- 
tion table  was  open  to  reform,  girded  at  the  older 
students  who,  like  Playfair,  recognised  the  fact  that  in 
economics  as  in  mathematics  there  are  certain  axioms 
which  cannot  be  called  in  question.  It  was  Play  fair's 
good  fortune  to  be  able  to  draw  the  true  economic  les- 
sons from  the  new  conditions  of  human  life  with  which, 
in  the  process  of  the  suns,  he  was  brought  in  contact. 
Few  men  of  our  time  have  done  more  than  he  did  to 
show  the  bearing  of  new  industrial  facts  and  of  fresh  scien- 
tific discoveries  upon  the  old  laws  of  supply  and  demand, 
the  old  axioms  upon  the  observance  of  which  depends 
the  wealth  of  nations  and  the  prosperity  of  communities. 

But  while  he  was  thus  devoting  his  best  energies  through- 
out a  prolonged  life  to  the  service  of  his  fellow-men  in 
fields  which  lay  apart  from  the  contentions  of  political 
parties,  he  was  not  without  his  record  in  purely  political 
affairs.  The  story  of  his  career  in  the  House  of  Commons 
will  be  duly  set  forth  in  these  pages.  He  was  always  more 
of  a  philosopher  among  politicians  than  of  a  politician 
among  philosophers.  Yet  he  achieved  one  or  two  rare 
successes  even  as  a  politician,  and  to  him  must  ever  be 
ascribed  the  honour  of  having  been  one  of  the  two  or  three 
men  who,  at  a  moment  when  the  two  branches  of  our 
English  race  seemed  to  be  drifting  towards  an  inevitable 
and  ruinous  collision,  were  able  to  intervene  in  the  cause  of 
peace,  and  to  avert  a  disaster  that  would  have  wrecked  the 
cause  of  human  liberty. 

It  is  possible  that  the  reader  who  intends  to  follow  the 
story  of  Playfair's  life  would  wish  to  form  a  mental 
picture  of  the  man  himself  before  he  sets  out  on  his  task. 
Lyon  Playfair  was  notable  in  any  company,  in  part  because 
of  his  rather  diminutive  stature,  and  in  part  by  reason  of 
his  fine  head,  the  massive  moulding  of  which  formed  a  sure 


INTRODUCTORY.  1 1 

index  to  his  intellectual  powers.  Slightly  below  the 
common  height,  he  was  notwithstanding  a  man  who  never 
gave  even  to  the  casual  observer  an  impression  of  weak- 
ness. There  was  dignity  as  well  as  power  in  his  glance ; 
above  all,  there  was  the  saving  sense  of  humour.  No  one 
really  knew  or  understood  him,  however,  who  had  not  the 
good  fortune  to  meet  him  on  some  occasion  when  his 
conversational  gifts  were  made  apparent.  His  vast  stores 
of  knowledge  of  every  conceivable  kind,  the  strange 
experiences  through  which  he  had  passed  in  his  long  career 
of  labour,  the  stories,  humorous  and  interesting,  of  which 
he  was  so  admirable  a  raconteur,  and  the  sympathetic 
temperament  with  which  he  was  so  lavishly  endowed,  all 
helped  to  enrich  his  conversation  and  to  give  it  a  character  of 
its  own  that  may  fitly  be  called  unique.  Nobody  who  met 
him  in  casual  society  for  the  first  time  could  have  dreamed 
of  the  work  he  had  done  and  the  great  things  he  had 
accomplished  in  his  busy  life.  Few,  possibly,  would  have 
imagined  that  one  who  bore  his  load  of  learning  so  lightly 
and  easily  was  the  master  of  stores  of  knowledge  such  as  it 
is  given  to  few  amongst  us  to  possess.  But  no  one,  even  if 
he  were  but  the  chance  acquaintance  of  an  hour,  could  be 
brought  in  contact  with  him  without  feeling  something  of 
the  fascination  which  he  exercised  upon  all  around  him,  in 
virtue  of  his  unfailing  gaiety  of  heart,  his  inexhaustible  good 
nature,  and  the  charm  of  an  intellect  that  seemed  to 
illuminate  every  topic  which  came  within  its  radius.  I 
have  to  tell  the  story  of  a  great  worker,  who  laboured  for 
pure  and  unselfish  ends  ;  but  at  the  outset  the  reader  ought 
to  realise  the  fact  that  Lyon  Playfair  was  one  of  those  men 
of  exceptional  personal  and  social  gifts,  before  whose  tact 
difficulties  that  to  others  would  prove  insurmountable 
seem  to  melt  away,  and  whose  bright  spirits  create 
around  them  an  atmosphere  of  good-will  and  confidence 
which  is  recognised  by  all  with  whom  they  are  destined 
to  be  brought  in  contact. 


CHAPTER  II. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY. — I.  MY  RELATIONS. 

The  Playfairs  :  Professor  Playfair  and  the  Commander  -  in  -  Chief  : 
Principal  Playfair :  Mrs  Macdonald  and  Her  Doubts :  Sir  Hugh 
Lyon  Playfair  :  James  Playfair  and  His  Romance  :  Praying  for  My 
Conversion:  A  "Token":  The  Sin  of  walking  on  Sundays:  I 
introduce  Myself  to  My  Father  :  Dr  Macvicar  and  His  Definition 
of  Water :  My  Brothers.  Playfair's  Earliest  Extant  Letter — Mrs 
Macdonald  on  His  Disposition  as  a  Child. 

As  my  family  and  intimate  friends  desire  that  I  should 
leave  for  their  information  some  recollections  of  my  life, 
I  comply  with  their  wish,  so  far  as  it  can  be  done  by  one 
who  has  never  kept  a  diary  or  a  journal.  If  they  are  ever 
published  my  only  apology  is  that  they  may  form  some 
encouragement  to  others  who,  like  myself,  have  had  in 
early  life  few  friends  and  no  influence,  to  believe  that  their 
future  position  depends  upon  themselves,  and  not  upon 
their  surroundings. 

My  family  name  in  old  records  is  often  written  Playfere, 
and  doubtless  originally  meant  playfellow,  the  word  "here" 
being  used  in  Burns's  'Auld  Lang  Syne'  as  "companion." 
In  much  older  poems  it  is  employed  in  a  like  way. 
Thus  in  the  Scottish  ballad  'The  Jew's  Daughter,'  pre- 
served by  Bishop  Percy  in  his  '  Reliques,'  the  word 
occurs  in  this  sense  : 

"  Then  out  and  cam  the  Jewis  dochter, 
Said,  '  Will  ye  cum  in  and  dine  ?  ' 
'  I  winna  cum  in,  I  canna  cum  in 
Without  my  play-fieres  nine.'  " 

Although  this  was  doubtless  the  origin  of  the  name,  the 
first  time  that  the  name  is  mentioned  to  my  knowledge 


ANCESTORS   AND   RELATIONS.  1 3 

the  spelling  is  more  like  the  modern  version.  In  1290 
"  William  Playfayre  "  brought  letters  to  Edward  I.  from 
Sir  John  Comyn  "  intimating  the  arrival  of  the  Maiden  of 
Norway."1  He  seems  to  have  been  the  Earl  of  Orkney's 
letter  carrier,  and  if  I  am  his  lineal  descendant  it  seems  all 
right  in  the  process  of  evolution  that  I  should  have  become, 
in  1873,  Postmaster-General !  All  through  the  few  records 
that  remain  of  my  family  they  seem  to  have  been  emi- 
nently respectable,  hard-working  citizens,  without  ever 
rising  to  any  high  rank  or  position.  The  name  frequently 
appears  in  civic  records  from  the  fifteenth  century  to  the 
nineteenth  in  the  list  of  magistrates  in  the  Scotch  burghs, 
or  among  those  of  Scotch  ministers  of  a  Radical  turn  of 
mind  who  were  punished  for  keeping  conventicles.  In  the 
genealogical  '  Memoirs  of  the  Family  of  Sir  Walter  Scott ' 
(pp.  xxix.  and  xxx.)  "  Margaret  Playfair "  is  referred  to 
with  honour  as  being  "remarkable  for  her  knowledge, 
memory  of  the  Scriptures,  and  gift  of  prayer."  She  seems 
to  have  died  in  Rotterdam  in  1685,  so  perhaps  she  had  to 
leave  the  country  for  her  opinions,  or  because  her  husband, 
Mr.  Halyburton,  had  been  denounced  in  1662  by  the  Privy 
Council  for  his  Covenanting  principles.  However,  some 
persons  of  my  name  have  been  sufficiently  orthodox  to 
hold  offices  in  the  English  Universities.  In  1596  Thomas 
Playfair  was  made  D.D.  and  Margaret  Professor  of  Divinity 
in  Cambridge,  and  later  he  was  appointed  Chaplain  to  King 
James.     He  is  celebrated  by  Phineas  Fletcher  thus  : — 

"Who  lives  by  death,  by  death  in  death  is  lying; 
But  he  who  living  dies,  best  lives  by  dying, 
Who  life  to  truth,  who  death  to  sorrow  gives, 
In  life  may  die,  by  death  more  surely  lives. 

My  soul  in  heaven  breathes,  in  schools  my  fame, 
Then  on  my  tombe  write  nothing  but  my  name."2 

Occasionally  one  of  my  family  name  appears  with 
distinction  in  Academic  ranks,  but  more  usually  the 
members  constituting  it  follow  occupations  requiring  solid, 

1  'Calendar  of  Documents  relating  to  Scotland,'  by  Joseph  Bain,  Edin., 
1884,  Vol.  II.,  p.  107. 

2  '  Athenae  Cantabrigiensis,'  Vol.  II.,  p.  513. 


14  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

though  not  brilliant,  brain  power.  The  highest  example 
of  the  former  is  the  case  of  Professor  Playfair,  the  eminent 
mathematician,  who  was  born  in  1748,  and  died  in  18 19, 
author  of  a  charming  work,  the  '  Illustrations  of  the 
Huttonian  Theory.'  He  was  so  celebrated  for  his  clear 
and  eloquent  power  of  exposition  that  he  rarely  trusted 
himself  to  make  a  speech,  lest  he  should  injure  his  fame  as 
a  writer.  On  one  occasion,  however,  he  was  forced  to 
preside  at  the  founding  of  the  Royal  Observatory  on 
Calton  Hill,  Edinburgh,  of  which  I  also  became  chairman 
many  years  later. 

Professor  Playfair,  at  the  dinner  celebrating  the  laying 
of  the  foundation  stone,  contented  himself  with  proposing 
toasts  in  the  form  of  short  epigrams,  such  as  "  May  this 
Observatory  be  as  permanent  as  the  rock  upon  which  it  is 
founded  and  the  science  upon  which  it  is  based."  The 
Commander-in-Chief  for  Scotland  had  a  profound  admira- 
tion for  the  professor,  and  rose  to  propose  his  health,  but 
he  could  get  no  further  than  the  statement,  "  I  say, 
without  the  least  fear  of  contradiction,  that  Professor 
Playfair  is  a  man — I  repeat  that  Professor  Playfair  is  a 

man "      The  audience,  which  had  no  doubt  on  the 

subject,  began  to  laugh,  and  the  irate  Commander  con- 
cluded by  asserting,  "  Professor  Playfair  is  a  man  to  go  to 
h — 1  with."  The  decorous  company  was  disconcerted 
at  this  abnormal  way  of  proposing  the  toast,  and  consider- 
able curiosity  was  shown  as  to  how  the  learned  professor 
would  acknowledge  his  health  in  an  epigrammatic  form. 
He  was  equal  to  the  occasion,  and  replied,  "  I  thank  the 
gallant  officer  for  his  warmth,  because  there  is  only  one 
other  instance  of  an  equal  devotion  to  friendship,  that  in 
which  Pylades  offered  to  accompany  his  friend  Orestes 
to  a  place  which  shall  not  a  second  time  be  mentioned 
in  this  assembly." 

Although  Professor  Playfair  belonged  to  a  collateral 
branch  of  our  family,  I  gladly  claim  the  kinsmanship 
of  its  most  illustrious  member.  He  flourished  in 
Edinburgh  University  when  the  names  of  Black,  Leslie, 
and    Hope    drew   the    attention    of    all    Europe   to   the 


ANCESTORS   AND   RELATIONS.  1 5 

scientific  discoveries  of  that  university,  of  which  in  later 
years  I  was  student,  graduate,  professor,  and  Member  of 
Parliament  for  seventeen  years.  Professor  Playfair,  the 
mathematician,  never  married,  though  rumour  says  that 
he,  as  well  as  Leslie,  was  a  candidate  for  the  hand  of 
the  fascinating  Mrs  Apreece,  who  married  Sir  Humphry 
Davy.  Playfair's  fame  lasts  in  America  to  the  present 
day,  as  I  once  found  in  an  amusing  way.  In  1877,  on 
visiting  America,  I  was  anxious  to  see  and  hear  a 
telephone  which  then  excited  much  interest.  Being  on  a 
visit  to  a  house  near  West  Point,  on  the  Hudson,  I  found 
that  a  telephone  could  be  seen  there.  It  had  one  of  its 
ends  in  the  room  of  the  Professor  of  Mathematics,  who,  I 
was  warned,  might  resent  a  communication.  However,  I 
ventured,  and  explained  through  the  telephone  that  I  was 
an  Englishman  who  had  never  seen  the  instrument.  I 
was  asked  my  name,  to  which  I  replied  "Playfair."  The 
answer  then  came,  "  Oh,  I  know  all  about  you !  I 
learned  my  first  mathematics  out  of  your  '  Euclid.' "  I 
disclaimed  with  modesty,  by  stating  that  that  book  came 
out  in  the  last  century.  My  unknown  conversationalist 
replied,  "  Your  voice  is  so  squeaky,  I  thought  you  must 
be  a  hundred  years  old"  ! 

From  this  digression — the  type,  I  fear,  of  many  digres- 
sions, as  I  write  just  as  recollections  arise  in  my  memory 
— I  come  to  my  grandfather.  He  was  for  some  time  a 
minister  in  Newtyle,  and  then  in  Meigle ;  and  though 
repeatedly  urged  to  preside  as  Moderator  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  he  persistently 
declined  the  honour.  He  was  appointed  to  the  office  of 
Principal  of  the  University  of  St.  Andrews  in  1800.  The 
Principal  was  a  man  of  much  industry  and  of  respectable 
talents.  He  produced  a  large  work  in  six  quarto  volumes 
on  geography.  Of  this  he  was  so  proud  that  he  changed 
the  crest  of  his  family  to  a  globe  with  the  vainglorious 
motto,  "  Non  sic  te  vidimus  olim."  He  forgot  that 
geography  was  a  rapidly  progressive  science.  Before  the 
last  volume  of  his  big  work  was  out,  the  former  volumes 
were  out  of  date.     I  never  met  any  human  being  who  had 


1 6  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

read  the  magnum  opus  of  my  grandfather.  Besides  this 
work,  he  published  a  'System  of  Chronology '  in  1784,  and 
a  '  Statistical  Description  of  Scotland '  in  two  volumes. 
He  was  historiographer  to  the  Prince  of  Wales  (the  Prince 
Regent).  As  my  grandfather  died  in  the  year  of  my 
birth,  I  did  not  know  him.  His  widow  was,  however,  a 
devoted  grandmother  to  me.  Her  maiden  name  was 
Lyon,  and  she  belonged  to  the  Lyons  of  Glen  Ogle,  who 
form  a  collateral  branch  of  the  Lyons  of  Glamis,  now 
possessing  the  title  of  Earl  of  Strathmore.  This  explains 
my  Christian  name. 

Principal  Playfair  had  four  sons ;  the  eldest  was  my 
father  ;  the  second,  William,  was  a  retired  Colonel  in 
the  Indian  service  when  I  first  knew  him  ;  the  third  was 
Hugh,  a  Major  in  the  Indian  Artillery,  and  the  fourth 
James,  a  merchant  in  Glasgow.  All  of  them  had  an  in- 
fluence on  my  life.  On  being  sent  from  India,  where  I  was 
born,1  to  St.  Andrews  as  a  mere  infant,  Colonel  Playfair 
became  the  guardian  of  my  brother  and  myself,  and  dis- 
charged his  functions  with  much  kindness  and  judgment. 
He  placed  us  in  the  house  of  his  widowed  sister,  Mrs 
Macdonald,  a  lady  of  remarkable  ability.  She  had  been  a 
beauty  in  her  youth,  and  had  married  a  clergyman,  who 
died  soon  after  their  marriage.  Mrs  Macdonald  was  an 
ardent  naturalist,  and,  I  believe,  discovered  and  described 
several  new  species  of  marine  animals  which  abound  among 
the  rocks  of  the  sea  shore  at  St.  Andrews.  No  person  could 
have  discharged  her  duties  to  her  two  nephews  more 
lovingly  or  judiciously  than  this  accomplished  aunt.  She 
died  at  eighty-six  years  of  age,  when  I  was  professor  in  the 
Edinburgh  University,  in  1864.  I  recollect  a  curious 
conversation  on  her  deathbed  which  shows  how  much 
needless  anxiety  is  produced  to  good  Christians  by  the  old 
Scotch  belief  in  the  literal  interpretation  of  Bible  stories. 
She  expressed  great  anxiety  lest  her  faith  in  the  Bible 
should  not  be  sufficient  to  secure  her  salvation.  Knowing 
that  she  had  been  educated  in  a  narrow  Presbyterian  circle, 
I  asked  whether  her  doubts  were  connected  with  verbal 

1  At  Chunar,  Bengal,  May  2ist,  1818. 


ANCESTORS  AND   RELATIONS.  I J 

inspiration,  or  with  the  fundamental  truths  of  Christianity, 
assuring  her  that  I  could  not  believe  that  they  related  to 
the  latter,  as  I  had  never  known  a  person  of  such  a  pious 
and  devout  Christian  life.  The  old  lady  clutched  the  bed- 
clothes and  said  with  energy,  "  I  do  not  believe  that 
Balaam's  ass  ever  spoke."  Neither  did  I ;  so  I  thought 
it  best  to  throw  the  disbelief  into  insignificance  by 
putting  to  her  the  question  :  "  Are  you  going  to  heaven 
trusting  in  the  merits  of  your  Redeemer,  or  are  you  going 
into  heaven  riding  on  Balaam's  ass  ?  "  The  dear  old  lady 
realised  the  absurdity  of  her  fears,  and  spoke  happily 
for  the  few  remaining  hours  of  her  life. 

My  uncle,  Sir  Hugh  Lyon  Playfair,  to  whom  I  have 
alluded,  retired  from  the  Army  as  Major  of  Artillery,  but 
though  he  subsequently  became  Colonel  he  was  always 
affectionately  spoken  of  as  "  the  Major."  He  brought  with 
him  to  his  native  city  an  unexhausted  energy  which  at  first 
was  expended  in  odd  ways.  He  bought  a  house  on  the 
site  of  the  old  college  of  St.  Leonard.  He  had  a  large 
garden  through  which  flowed  a  mill  stream.  For  some 
years  this  garden  was  the  Major's  hobby.  He  built  a  tall 
pagoda  over  the  stream,  and  used  its  power  for  moving 
dancing  puppets  and  all  sorts  of  mechanical  absurdities. 
The  wheel  moved  by  the  stream  had  the  figure  of  a  man 
attached  to  it,  who  bent  laboriously  as  he  appeared  to 
turn  the  wheel.  All  round  this  extensive  garden  a  border 
of  wood,  painted  white,  was  placed  upon  supports.  It 
contained  the  history  of  the  world,  from  the  time  of  Adam, 
our  first  parent,  to  the  Reform  Bill  of  1832.  All  of  this 
extensive  history  was  painted  upon  the  boards  by  the 
Major's  own  hands.  The  history  of  England,  according  to 
this  singular  record,  ended  at  the  Reform  Bill  in  1832, 
because  then  England,  having  reached  the  pinnacle  of  its 
greatness,  began  to  decline,  and  was  no  longer  worth  the 
attention  of  the  historian.  No  need  to  say  that  "the 
Major,"  like  all  my  other  relatives,  was  an  ardent  Tory. 
After  a  few  years  the  surplus  energy  of  Sir  Hugh  Playfair 
was  diverted  from  his  garden  to  the  adornment  of  the  city 
of  St.  Andrews.     He  was  elected  Provost  of  the  city,  and 


1 8  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

retained  this  orifice  to  his  death.  When  he  undertook  these 
civic  duties  the  city  was  little  better  than  a  dirty  fishing 
town,  with  a  couple  of  streets  of  better  houses  for  pro- 
fessors and  retired  Indian  officers.  The  grand  ruins  of 
the  cathedral  and  the  ancient  castle  were  neglected  and 
crumbling,  while  even  the  university  was  in  a  decaying 
state.  The  broom  of  the  civic  reformer  soon  produced  a 
marvellous  change,  though  scarcely  in  a  constitutional  way. 
Ancient  stairs  which  projected  from  the  houses  into  the 
streets,  so  as  to  block  the  thoroughfares,  were  removed 
during  the  darkness  of  night,  and  the  occupants  had  to 
devise  new  modes  of  entrance  to  their  homes.  The 
Major  put  a  side  way  of  good  pavement  all  up  the 
streets  about  twelve  feet  from  the  houses,  the  inhabitants 
of  which  soon  found  that  they  had  to  fill  up  the 
interval,  so  that  St.  Andrews  became  celebrated  for 
its  broad  and  luxurious  side  walks.  The  old  church- 
yard surrounding  the  venerable  cathedral  was  planted 
and  beautified,  and  then  the  Government  was  obliged 
to  maintain  the  ruins  and  prevent  their  further  decay. 
New  college  buildings  were  extorted  from  Parliament, 
and  the  University  Library  was  rebuilt  on  condition  that 
it  should  be  open  to  the  public. 

The  "links"  upon  which  the  game  of  golf  is  played, 
and  which  now  forms  one  of  the  most  attractive  features 
of  the  ancient  city,  was  then  being  washed  away  by 
encroachments  of  the  sea.  The  "  Major "  even  fought 
against  the  sea,  and,  by  judicious  selections  of  places  for 
shooting  rubbish,  extended  the  famous  links,  and  built  a 
club  house  for  the  players  upon  a  spot  reclaimed  from  the 
sea.  He  laboured  in  his  improvements  with  the  will  and 
authority  of  an  autocrat,  and  forced  money  by  subscrip- 
tions with  the  audacity  of  a  highwayman.  Naturally,  he 
constantly  gave  offence  ;  but,  as  his  reforms  were  always 
justified  by  good  results,  the  Major's  tyrannies  were 
condoned,  and  the  name  of  Sir  Hugh  Lyon  Playfair  is 
now  cherished  in  his  native  city  as  its  greatest  benefactor. 
He  found  it  a  dull,  sleepy,  antiquated  town,  and  he 
left  it  a  bright  little  watering-place,  with  all  the  venerable 


ANCESTORS  AND  RELATIONS.  1 9 

antiquities  much  better  cared  for  than  when  he  began  his 
rather  Philistine  reign.  How  much  of  my  knowledge  was 
got  from  my  uncle's  wooden  history  of  the  world  in  his 
gardens  I  do  not  know,  but  he  certainly  inspired  me  with 
the  love  of  work,  and  with  a  sense  of  the  duty  of  working 
for  others  rather  than  for  oneself. 

My  youngest  uncle,  James  Playfair,  was  a  Glasgow 
merchant  of  probity  and  philanthropy.  His  wife  had 
fallen  in  a  faint  over  a  slow  fire,  which  burnt  out  her  eyes 
and  destroyed  her  face,  so  that  she  always  wore  a  mask. 
Her  husband  devoted  himself  to  her  with  all  the  ardour 
and  affection  of  a  young  lover.  I  stayed  in  his  house  for 
two  years  when  I  had  left  St.  Andrew's  College  as  a  lad, 
for  my  father  destined  me  to  be  a  merchant,  and  put  me 
into  my  uncle's  office  as  a  clerk.  Both  this  attempt  to 
make  me  a  merchant  and  a  subsequent  one  in  India  failed, 
as  I  felt  I  was  wholly  unsuited  to  succeed  in  a  mercantile 
career.  I  certainly  did  not  acquire  much  mercantile 
knowledge  in  my  uncle's  office,  but  I  did  learn  to  respect 
probity,  and  to  work  for  subjects  connected  with  the 
welfare  of  the  people.  So  my  uncle  James  probably  did 
produce  a  lasting  impression  on  my  character.  He  was 
an  eminently  religious  man  of  the  school  of  arid  Scotch 
orthodoxy,  which  was  a  repulsive  rather  than  an  attractive 
form  to  me.  Accordingly,  I  was  treated  as  one  of  the 
unconverted,  and  prayers  for  my  conversion  were  some- 
times offered.  A  good  man,  Mr  Kettle,  used  to  come  and 
offer  up  hugely  long  prayers  in  the  evening,  during  the 
course  of  which  I  generally  slept.  But  on  one  occasion 
the  fervour  of  his  prayer  awoke  me,  and  I  found  him 
wrestling  with  God  for  my  conversion.  My  uncle 
apologised  afterwards,  and  said  he  did  not  approve  of  my 
being  denounced  as  a  sinner  in  my  own  presence,  but  he 
hoped  that  the  seed  sown  might  fall  upon  fertile  ground. 
I  am  afraid  the  ground  was  rather  stony,  though  I  agreed 
"to  go  to  the  tables";  or,  in  other  words,  to  take  the 
Communion.  Accordingly  I  was  examined  by  an  Elder, 
who  gave  me  a  leaden  "token"  to  present  at  the  table. 
This  awful  "token"  frightened  me  out  of  my  wits,  and 


20  MEMOIRS  OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

impressed  me  with  the  fact  that  I  was  a  sinner  indeed, 
and  unworthy  of  mercy.  Somehow  or  other  I  lost  it 
before  the  time  came  for  using  it.  This  admission 
by  "token"  acts  as  a  repulsion  instead  of  attraction 
to  religion,  and  I  hope  it  has  disappeared  from  Scotch 
services.  But  I  am  not  sure  of  it,  from  the  follow- 
ing anecdote.  When  my  youngest  child  was  a  baby, 
during  my  stay  in  Edinburgh  as  professor,  she  had  a 
shrewd  Scotch  nurse  who  desired  to  take  the  Communion. 
She  applied  to  her  Elder,  who  asked  how  often  she 
attended  church  services.  The  answer  did  not  satisfy 
him,  although  she  pleaded  that  she  could  not  leave  the 
baby,  and  so  the  "  token  "  of  admission  was  refused.  She 
urged  that  she  lived  with  a  worthy  master,  Professor 
Play  fair,  who  had  ordered  all  his  grates  from  the  Elder's 
shop  at  her  recommendation.  This  altered  the  religious 
aspect  of  the  case  entirely,  and,  turning  to  the  deacon,  he 
said,  "  Give  her  a  token.  She  is  an  eminently  respectable 
woman  ! " 

In  St.  Andrews,  as  children,  we  were  encouraged  to  walk 
in  the  beautiful  links  or  by  the  sea-shore  every  Sunday ; 
but  when  I  studied  in  Glasgow  as  a  youth,  I  still  remember 
with  remorse  being  caught  in  the  deadly  sin  of  taking  a 
walk  on  the  park  or  "  green  "  on  a  Sunday  afternoon,  and 
being  considered  as  an  irreclaimable  sinner  afterwards. 
But  in  spite  of  all  this  strait-laced  orthodoxy  I  loved  my 
Uncle  James  and  his  suffering  wife,  who  were  daily 
examples  of  practical  Christianity. 

I  have  not  yet  spoken  of  my  father,  for  until  I  was 
grown  up  and  resident  in  Manchester  I  scarcely  knew  him, 
as  he  resided  in  India,  and  only  once  came  home  on  a 
year's  visit  to  my  mother,  while  I  was  a  child  at  school- 
He  was  in  the  Medical  Service  of  the  East  India  Company, 
and  rose  to  the  highest  position,  that  of  Member  of  the 
Medical  Board  in  Calcutta.  He  was  chief  physician  to  the 
invading  army  of  Afghanistan,  but  being  attacked  with 
ophthalmia,  fortunately  retired  before  the  destruction  of 
that  army.  My  recollections  of  my  father  are  therefore 
lew.     He  was  full  of  kindness   and  consideration  in  his 


ANCESTORS  AND  RELATIONS.  21 

correspondence,  encouraging  my  scientific  studies,  and 
supplying  me  freely  with  money  to  prosecute  them.  My 
mother  was  devoted  to  him,  and  constantly  talked  of  his 
kindness  of  heart  and  of  his  ability.  He  introduced  into 
medicine  some  native  Indian  remedies,  especially  Mudar, 
which  I  believe  still  holds  its  position  in  the  Indian 
Pharmacopoeia.  My  first  real  acquaintance  with  my  father 
was  when  he  retired  from  the  service  in  1842.  He 
returned  from  India  in  a  sailing  vessel,  accompanied  by  my 
mother,  and  I  joined  them  at  Southampton.  At  that  time 
my  mother  had  been  in  India  for  many  years,  and  my 
recollection  of  her  features  was  faint.  I  took  a  boat  to  go 
out  to  the  ship  which  had  been  signalled,  but  as  it  was  in 
motion  when  I  reached  it  a  rope  was  thrown  out  from  the 
stern,  and  my  boat  followed  the  ship.  At  the  stern 
window  a  sweet  motherly-looking  lady  was  writing,  and  I 
fancied  that  she  might  be  my  mother,  but  I  was  afraid  to 
ask  her.  When  I  got  on  board  I  asked  a  stout  elderly 
gentleman  if  he  could  point  out  to  me  Dr  Playfair.  He 
replied  that  that  was  his  name,  and  I  then  introduced 
myself  as  his  son  Lyon.  The  old  gentleman  was  com- 
pletely overcome,  and  taking  my  hand,  led  me  down 
to  the  cabin,  where  I  found  that  the  lady  whom  I  had 
admired  from  the  boat  was  in  fact  my  mother. 

Next  morning  my  father  and  I  went  to  London,  leaving 
my  mother  to  wait  for  the  luggage.  At  the  station  I 
learned  how  long  my  father  had  been  absent  from  England, 
and  how  many  changes  had  occurred  in  his  absence.  The 
railway  was  to  him  a  singular  novelty.  As  the  locomotive 
went  puffing  backwards  and  forwards  on  the  line  to  get 
into  position,  he  suggested  that  we  should  engage  it  and 
go  up  to  London,  just  as  we  should  now  hail  a  hansom 
cab.  He  was  full  of  delight  and  astonishment  at  every- 
thing he  saw.  Soon  after  his  arrival  I  took  him  to  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  at  Derby. 
I  had  been  elected  an  honorary  member  of  that  Society, 
and  had  to  acknowledge  the  honour  in  a  speech  at  the 
great  dinner  in  the  pavilion.  My  father  was  not  on  the 
platform,  and  did  not  know  my  position  in  the  society,  so 


22  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

he  was  amazed  and  delighted  to  see  his  son  rise  among  the 
magnates  who  had  to  respond  to  a  toast.  After  the  dinner 
I  was  to  meet  him  at  a  certain  door,  but  failed  to  do  so. 
In  going  to  my  hotel  I  had  to  pass  some  caravan-shows, 
and  on  the  platform  of  one  of  these  I  observed  my  father 
paying  for  all  the  boys  and  girls  who  desired  to  see  the 
show  !  He  had  passed  in  about  fifty  or  sixty  when  I 
arrived  and  disturbed  his  generosity.  In  fact  my  father 
had  all  the  simplicity  and  kindness  of  Colonel  Newcome  in 
Thackeray's  novel,  and  I  never  think  of  him  without  this 
connection  in  my  mind.  Already  his  constitution  was 
broken  up  by  his  long  tropical  residence,  and  very  soon  our 
short  acquaintance  was  but  a  memory,  as  he  died  in  1846. 
Now  that  intercommunication  between  India  and  the 
United  Kingdom  is  so  easy,  families  are  not  so  separated 
as  they  were  in  the  past.  There  used  to  be  frequent 
instances,  as  in  my  case,  where  a  father  did  not  see  his  son 
after  infancy  until  he  was  settled  in  life. 

My  mother1  had  much  more  direct  influence  on  my  life 
than  my  father.  Her  abilities  were  of  a  high  order,  and 
she  had  cultivated  them  by  extensive  reading.  She  was  a 
favourite  among  the  professors  of  the  university  at  St. 
Andrews,  who  frequently  passed  the  evening  at  her  house. 
Among  the  most  constant  visitors  was  the  Rev.  Dr 
Macvicar,  not  a  professor,  but  a  temporary  lecturer  at 
the  university.  He  had  singular  originality,  a  boldness  of 
thought  regarding  the  atomic  constitution  of  matter,  and 
shared  in  the  belief  in  the  complex  molecular  structure 
which  now  began  to  prevail.  Dr  Macvicar  gave  popular 
lectures  on  science,  the  first  which  I  had  heard.  But  he 
was  singularly  unsuited  for  this  work.  I  recollect  copying 
his  description  of  water,  and  being  much  puzzled  by  it. 
"  Water,"  said  the  philosopher,  "  is  composed  of  two 
abysmal  elements,  possibly  of  only  one  in  fundamental 
differentiation  of  molecular  construction.  It  is  a  fluid  of 
exquisite  limpidity  capable  of  solidification  on  one  side  and 
gasification  on  the  other.  In  the  solid  state  it  belongs  to 
the  hexagonal  system,  and  is  a  double  six-sided  pyramid 

1  Janet,  daughter  of  John  Ross,  Esq.,  of  Edinburgh. 


ANCESTORS   AND   RELATIONS.  23 

with  one  axis  of  double  refraction.  Solid,  liquid,  gaseous,  it 
is  a  type  of  matter."  I  was  profoundly  impressed  with  the 
description,  and  used  to  repeat  it  till  in  the  course  of  time 
I  began  to  understand  it.  From  Dr  Macvicar  were  received 
our  earliest  ideas  of  science,  for  he  taught  us  the  use  of  the 
microscope,  and  showed  us  how  to  open  our  eyes  to 
surrounding  objects.  To  my  mother  and  her  surroundings 
I  owe  all  my  early  knowledge,  precious  little  of  which  I 
derived  from  the  grammar  or  classical  school  to  which 
I  was  sent  at  a  later  period. 

My  elder  brother,  George,  was  about  two  years  older 
than  myself,  but  he  was  the  protector  and  guide  of  my 
boyhood.  He  had  the  same  exquisitely  simple  and 
affectionate  character  as  my  father,  and  I  do  not  recollect 
that  we  had  a  single  difference  or  quarrel  in  boyhood  or 
manhood.  He  became  a  medical  man,  acting  as  surgeon 
in  the  Chinese  War  on  board  the  Phlegethon.  He  then 
received  an  appointment  in  the  Medical  Service  of  the 
East  India  Company,  and  ultimately  became  President  of 
the  Medical  School  at  Agra.  He  was  loved  in  every 
station  to  which  he  went,  and  died  in  London  in  1881, 
after  retiring  from  the  Service.  My  second  brother, 
Lambert,  now  Colonel  Sir  Lambert  Playfair,  K.C.M.G.,1 
has  seen  very  varied  service.  The  gallant  Outram 
was  much  attached  to  him,  and  also  Sir  Bartle  Frere. 
Though  in  the  Indian  Army,  his  services  have  been  chiefly 
diplomatic.  He  was  for  a  long  time  Assistant,  and  then 
Acting,  Governor  at  Aden,  Political  Resident  at  Zanzibar, 
and  is  now  Consul-General  of  Algiers  and  Tunis. 

My  third  brother,  William,  is  now  an  eminent  physician 
in  London,  and  is  well  known  by  the  originality  and 
success  of  his  practice.  My  fourth  brother,  Octavius,  was 
for  a  short  time  in  the  Royal  Engineers,  but,  on  his  marriage, 
emigrated  to  Buenos  Ayres,  where  he  soon  died.  I 
had  three  sisters  and  one  adopted  sister,  who  added  to 
the  happiness  of  our  home  life.  That  was  of  a  simple 
character,  but  impressed  upon  all  of  us  our  future  habits 
and  tastes.      Our  social  gatherings  on  Sunday  evenings, 

1  Sir  Lambert  Playfair  died  at  St.  Andrews  in  February,  i8gg. 


24  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

at  a  banquet  of  Spartan  simplicity,  are  among  the  most 
delightful  recollections  of  my  life.  Those  days  are  long 
past,  and  since  then  I  have  dined  and  supped  with  monarchs 
and  royal  princes,  but  the  pleasure  and  gratification  of  these 
entertainments  has  never  equalled  the  Sunday  suppers  of  my 
childhood.  The  good  mother  died  in  1862,  when  I  was  a 
professor  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  and  her  sons 
and  daughters  placed  a  memorial  window  in  the  old 
College  Church  of  St.  Andrews,  with  the  inscription, 
"  Her  children  rise  up  and  call  her  blessed." 

The  St.  Andrews  of  to-day  is  still  a  simple  city,  but  it  is 
unlike  that  of  my  boyish  days.  Then  it  had  not  been 
shaken  up  and  swept  by  the  reforming  broom  of  "the 
Major."  I  remember  the  Sedan  chairs  which  used  to  be 
brought  inside  the  house  to  carry  my  mother  and  sisters 
to  evening  parties.  If  the  nights  were  fine,  either  a 
servant  or  one  of  the  children  would  accompany  them 
with  a  lantern.  Society  has  not  increased  in  pleasure  by 
the  greater  demands  made  for  its  enjoyment. 

So  far  as  can  now  be  ascertained,  it  was  in  1820  that 
young  Lyon  Playfair  and  his  elder  brother  George  left 
India  for  St.  Andrews,  in  order  to  remain  under  the  care 
of  their  aunt,  Mrs  Macdonald.  Six  years  later  Mrs 
Playfair,  whose  family  was  now  more  numerous,  parted 
from  her  husband  in  Bengal,  and  brought  her  younger 
children  to  Scotland,  where,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  next 
chapter,  she  remained  with  them  for  several  years,  watch- 
ing over  their  health  and  education.  In  their  tenderest 
childhood,  however,  both  Lyon  and  his  brother  George 
were  left  to  the  exclusive  charge  of  Mrs  Macdonald.  The 
earliest  letter  of  Lyon  Playfair  which  is  now  extant,  and 
probably  the  first  he  ever  wrote,  was  the  following, 
addressed  to  his  father  in  1824,  at  a  time  when  the  writer 
was  six  years  old.  As  the  production  of  a  child  of  that 
age,  it  is  not  unworthy  of  notice. 


ANCESTORS   AND   RELATIONS.  2$ 

(Dictated.) 

My  dear  Papa, — I  hope  our  sisters  are  well.  When 
will  our  sisters  come  home  ?  We  have  sticks,  and  guns, 
and  pencils,  and  mells  [golf  sticks] .  Cousin  Jessie  is  away 
at  six  o'clock  to-day,  home  to  Glamis.  I  can  sing 
Johnny  Cope.  Are  our  sisters  to  bring  our  swords  and 
guns,  or  is  Papa  ?  When  will  you  send  an  answer  to  this 
letter  ?  I  am  second  Dux  in  my  class.  I  am  reading  in 
the  Collection,  and  it  is  about  Caesar — Caesar  is  a  Man. 
Our  Market  day  is  on  first  Thursday,  and  I  am  going  to 
buy  a  penknife,  and  I  will  send  something  to  Papa.  I 
will  give  you  a  guess.  "  As  I  went  o'er  St.  Andrews  Brig, 
I  met  wi'  George  Buchanan,  I  took  off  his  head  and  drank 
his  blood,  and  left  his  body  stan'ing."  Here's  another 
guess  :  "  Anne  Queen  Shevy  built  a  ship,  an'  on  the  deck 
her  daughter  sate,  an'  for  her  name  I'm  not  to  blame,  for 
three  times  have  I  told  you."  Guess  the  name.  I  have  a 
great  heap  more  guesses.  I'll  tell  you  two  more.  "  I 
went  between  two  woods,  and  came  back  between  two 
waters,"  "  As  I  came  o'er  London  Bridge,  London  Bridge 
broke,  and  a'  the  Men  of  London  could  not  mend  it." 
That  guess  is  Ice.  I  will  tell  you  no  other  names  of  the 
guesses.  All  the  school  was  calling  me  Merryman,  and 
George  too,  because  I  once  got  my  highland  stockings  on, 
and  because  I  had  a  tartan  dress,  tippet  and  sleeves  and 
a  white  tippet  below,  and  they  called  me  Lassie  and  a 
Merryman,  my  dress  is  tartan  trowsers.  Tom  Burns  who 
lives  in  Argyle,  he  went  to  the  Merryman,  and  there  was 
two  sticks  as  long  as  ten  feet  high,  as  long  as  Chunar 
house  from  the  floor  to  the  roof.  The  Merryman  had  a 
kind  of  Tambourine  and  he  jump'd  thro'  it,  and  when  he 
jump'd  thro'  it,  a  great  heap  of  fire  came  out  of  it,  and 
nobody  could  touch  the  place,  it  was  so  hot  like  fire.  He 
did  the  same  thing  twice  and  a  new  thing.  Tom  Burns  is 
a  great  big  boy,  and  he  is  reading  Rob  nson  Crusoe  with 
George.  He  comes  at  seven  o'clock  every  night,  and  he  is 
getting  finely  on  with  us.  We  were  twice  playing  at  his 
house  at  Argyle,  and  he  made  a  ball  with  leather  and  a 


26  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

ball  of  black  worsted.  May  be  I'm  going  to  see  the  fool 
to-night,  and  he  jump'd  upon  his  horse  and  put  his  knees 
on  the  horse,  and  put  his  arms  like  bucksoo,  and  he  said, 
"  I  preach,  I  pray  the  auld  Manny  Grey,  he  got  cauld 
porridge  in  a  cauld  day."  Our  uncle  has  got  a  bairn,  and 
I  think  it  is  to  be  christened  William.  I  have  seen  the 
bairn,  and  it  is  like  me.  Maggy  has  a  fine  picture  about 
the  battle  in  London,  and  I  saw  it.  How  are  you  ?  I 
send  a  kiss  to  our  sisters  and  Mamma  and  you.  The  cat 
has  got  two  kittens.  All  our  cousins  are  quite  well,  but 
the  little  baby  is  not  quite  well.     When  is  your  Market  ? 

For  Lyon  Playfair. 

April  20th. 

Mrs  Macdonald  accompanied  this  effusion  with  the 
following  letter  to  her  sister-in-law,  Mrs  Playfair  : — 

You  will  see  by  the  above  that  Lyon  is  in  spirits.  He 
reads  pretty  well  now,  and  likes  the  school  as  much  as  at 
first.  As  no  children  can  be  perfect,  I  would  require  to 
give  you  the  shade  with  the  sunshine  of  their  characters,  if 
I  could  do  so  in  a  way  to  make  you  know  them 
thoroughly.  As  to  temper,  an  instance  may  suffice.  Lately 
Lyon  came  to  me  and  said  there  was  something  to  say, 
but  he  would  not  say  it,  as  I  would  be  angry  ;  but  as  he 
would  not  say  it,  I  had  better  go  up  to  Charlotte,  and  she 
would  tell  me.  I  went  up,  and  George  was  crying  and 
sulky  because  Charlotte  had  made  him  sit  down  to  his 
lesson  after  his  trifling  away  half  of  the  hour  which  Tom 
Burns  gives  him.  .  .  .  To-day,  when  we  were  at  our 
usual  morning  chapter,  Lyon  and  I  waited  for  some 
time  for  George,  who  ran  off  in  the  middle  of  his 
reading.  When  he  came  back  I  found  he  had  found  a 
hoop  on  his  way,  and  got  so  engrossed  with  it  that 
he  forgot  we  were  waiting.  On  such  occasions  Lyon 
is  too  ready  with  his  admonitions,  yet  so  correct  in  his 
opinions  that  we  cannot  always  advise  him  rather  to  help 
George  out  of  a  scrape  than  tell  upon  him. 

April  2 ^th.— George  was  trying  to  make  prose  out  of  his 


ANCESTORS   AND   RELATIONS.  2J 

psalms,  and  I  have  written  down  as  he  gave  me  his  ideas. 
.  .  .  So  much  for  George.  .  .  .  Lyon  is  still  aidd- 
f arrant x  in  his  remarks,  more  correct  in  his  conduct  than 
George,  and  too  apt  to  tell  on  George  when  he  has  got 
into  a  scrape.  Lyon  does  not  see  a  subject  in  reading  or 
relating  nearly  so  quick  or  accurately  as  George,  but  come 
to  action  and  George  is  behind  Lyon.  I  would  say,  were 
I  a  phrenologist,  that  Lyon  must  have  the  bumps  of 
veneration  and  observation,  and  George  the  bump  of  clear 
understanding  (were  there  such  a  one). 

Lyon  has  been  Dux  for  ten  days  both  in  reading  and 
spelling,  and  he  is  in  great  fear  lest  he  is  trapped  down, 
and  says  his  lesson  over  and  over  to  anyone  who  will  hear 
him.  The  more  I  examine  my  two  charges  the  more  I 
observe  the  moral  principles  deep  in  Lyon's  mind  and 
carried  constantly  into  action,  and  that  it  is  mere  theory, 
in  comparison,  with  George.  Yet  do  I  hope  he  will  not 
grow  up  worse  than  the  general  run  of  correct  people. 
I  wish  their  heads  examined,  and  shall  send  you  the 
result  when  I  can  meet  with  a  good  phrenologist. 

1  Old-fashioned. 


CHAPTER   III. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY  CONTINUED. — II.   MY  EDUCATION. 

1825  to  1838. 

My  Governesses  :  At  School :  Holidays  at  Glamis  Castle  :  Entering  St. 
Andrews  University :  Beginning  a  Business  Career :  Discomfiting 
Nocturnal  Marauders :  Studying  Medicine :  Friendship  with 
Andrew  Ramsay,  the  Geologist  :  A  Chance  Meeting  with  Sir  Charles 
Lyell  :  Studying  Chemistry :  Friendship  with  David  Livingstone  : 
James  Young,  Founder  of  the  Paraffin  Oil  Industry  :  Study  at  Edin- 
burgh University  :  A  Voyage  to  India  :  In  a  Calcutta  Office  :  Home 
again  :  Studying  under  Liebig  at  Giessen :  "  Doctor  of  Philosophy  "  : 
Appointed  Chemical  Manager  of  Print  Works :  Punctuality  Hand- 
somely rewarded  :  Among  the  Philosophers  of  Berlin.  Correspon- 
dence with  Liebig — Chemists  and  Chemistry. 

When  my  mother  returned  from  India  to  superintend 
the  education  of  her  family,  an  old-fashioned  governess 
was  employed.  Miss  Douglas  was  a  curious  old-world 
specimen  of  a  Scotch  governess,  and  always  wore  a  sort 
of  high  crown  of  brown  silk  worked  into  castellated  peaks. 
This  crown  seemed  never  to  be  renewed  in  the  years 
which  she  remained  in  our  family.  She  had  a  singular 
method  of  teaching,  but  not  a  bad  one.  Every  word 
had  to  be  spelt  according  to  the  number  of  syllables 
by  touching  one  finger  for  each  syllable  ;  while  the  one 
upon  which  the  accent  lay  had  to  be  repeated  twice 
and  touched  twice,  the  whole  word  with  the  accent  being 
given  at  the  end.  I  have  never  seen  since  then  this 
system,  but  I  owe  to  it  my  distinct  enunciation,  which  has 
served  me  so  much  in  my  public  speaking.  Unfortun- 
ately, however,  Miss  Douglas  had  a  strong  Scotch 
pronunciation,   and   her   accents   were    not    unfrequently 


EDUCATION.  29 

placed  on  the  wrong  syllable.  Thus  she  would  pronounce 
lunatic  as  lunatic,  and  manure  as  manure,  so  that  what 
we  gained  in  one  way  we  lost  in  another.  And,  to  this 
day,  I  find  that  I  sometimes  astonish  my  audiences  by  a 
distinctly  false  quantity.  But  I  retain  a  warm  sense  of 
gratitude  to  my  first  governess  for  her  thorough  teaching. 
Miss  Douglas  was  succeeded  in  our  family  by  a  handsome 
young  Scotch  lady,  who  afterwards  went  to  India  wThen 
my  mother  returned  with  some  of  my  sisters.  She  married 
a  colonel  in  the  Indian  service,  and  was  massacred  in  the 
Mutiny  at  Cawnpore.  She  continued  her  journal  every 
half-hour  on  that  fatal  day,  the  last  entry  being,  "The 
steps  of  the  mutineers  are  on  the  stairs.  Good-bye, 
my  dear  children."  This  precious  journal  was  concealed 
by  a  native  servant,  and  forwarded  to  her  children 
in  England. 

At  six  years  of  age  I  went  to  the  parish  school.  At 
that  time  every  class  of  society  used  to  attend  the  parish 
school,  and  the  effect  of  this  admixture  of  classes  was 
excellent.  Often  in  after  life,  when  I  visited  St.  Andrews, 
a  working  man  would  stop  me  in  the  street  to  shake 
hands  and  congratulate  me  on  my  public  position,  claim- 
ing as  his  right  to  do  so  that  he  had  been  at  school  with 
me.  No  more  hearty  congratulations  or  more  accept- 
able have  I  ever  received  in  my  public  career.  Our 
schoolmaster  was  Mr  Crichton,  an  admirable  teacher.  He 
afterwards  became  a  Scotch  minister,  for  it  was  true  then 
that  every  teacher  in  a  school  had  his  eyes  fixed  upon  the 
steeple  of  the  church.  The  education  in  his  school  was 
broad  and  thorough,  and  I  attribute  much  of  my  future 
success  to  it.  I  was  a  diligent  scholar,  and  was  only  once 
punished,  by  being  locked  up  alone  in  the  schoolroom 
between  the  meetings.  This  is  a  bad  sort  of  punishment 
for  boys.  My  fault  was  making  an  unsuccessful  experi- 
ment. Mr  Crichton  was  particularly  anxious  that  there 
should  be  no  blots  in  our  writing-books.  A  boy  assured 
me  that  the  scraped  bone  of  the  cuttle-fish  would  remove 
blots,  and  I  applied  it  freely  to  a  fresh  wet  blot,  with  the 
result  that  I  spread  it  nearly  over  the  whole  page. 


30  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Unfortunately,  I  was  taken  away  too  soon  from  this 
excellent  school,  and  put  into  the  old  grammar  school  of 
the  city.  Other  men  have  told  me  that  they  obtained 
advantage  from  their  education  in  that  school,  but  I 
cannot  recollect  a  single  gain  that  I  made  in  my  many 
years'  attendance  at  it.  I  know  that  I  lost  much  of  my 
former  knowledge,  and  that  my  Latin  when  I  entered  the 
University  was  of  the  most  miserable  description.  We 
had  a  great  show  day  every  year,  and  a  month  of  our 
time  was  wasted  in  preparation  for  that  day.  Each  boy 
was  drilled  in  one  single  sentence,  and  the  professors  and 
examiners  were  duly  impressed  with  our  familiarity  with 
it.  On  one  of  these  days  the  second  boy  in  our  class  took 
a  panic,  and  the  whole  school  was  startled  by  hearing  that 
David  had  become  truant,  and  could  not  be  found.  His 
absence  deranged  the  whole  of  the  sentences,  so  the  boys 
were  sent  to  scour  the  town  and  bring  in  David  before  the 
professorial  examiners  arrived.  We  were  unsuccessful  in 
finding  him,  and  our  masters  were  in  despair.  I  was  third 
in  the  class,  and  from  the  continued  drilling  knew  David's 
sentences  as  well  as  my  own,  so  I  volunteered  to  do 
both,  and  received  the  gratitude  and  future  kindness  of 
my  teacher. 

Latin,  in  its  most  unattractive  form,  was  the  only 
subject  taught  in  this  school.  I  certainly  did  not  dis- 
tinguish myself  as  a  scholar.  But  I  presume  that  I 
must  have  been  popular,  for  there  was  a  peculiar 
ceremony  once  a  year,  at  which  the  scholars,  with  the 
approbation  of  the  masters,  elected  a  "king"  of  the 
school.  The  king,  when  elected,  was  crowned  with  an 
iron  crown  decorated  with  ribbons  supplied  by  the  family 
of  the  boy.  He  was  then  carried  on  the  shoulders  of  the 
elder  boys,  accompanied  by  the  whole  school,  in  a 
procession  through  the  city.  Most  of  the  houses  had 
their  doors  opened  as  the  procession  passed,  and  gifts  of 
gingerbread  and  raisins  were  received  as  a  tribute  by  the 
king,  who  distributed  them  among  his  subjects.  I  was 
elected  king  of  the  school  for  three  successive  years. 
The  last  year  of  my  reign  was  the  final  one  of  this  curious 


EDUCATION.  31 

custom,  and  the  iron  crown  remained  for  a   long  time 
in  the  attic  of  our  home. 

My  holidays  while  at  school  were  passed  with  my 
grand  uncle,  the  Rev.  Dr  Lyon,  in  his  manse  at  the  gate 
of  the  ancient  Castle  of  Glamis,  where  Macbeth  murdered 
King  Duncan.  The  old  manse  is  a  comfortable  minister's 
house,  surrounded  by  a  garden  containing  one  of  the 
oldest  of  Scotch  monuments.  The  church  itself  was  close 
to  it,  in  a  primitive  churchyard  without  beauty,  and  then 
kept  in  a  careless  way.  At  that  time  the  fine  old  castle 
was  not  inhabited  by  Lord  Strathmore.  The  whole  estate 
was  under  the  management  of  trustees,  of  whom  my  uncle 
was  one,  and  so  the  castle  and  grounds  were  open  to  me 
without  risk  of  being  considered  an  intruder.  I  naturally 
busied  myself  with  trying  to  discover  the  famous  secret 
chamber,  and  the  awful  mystery  connected  with  it.  I 
drew  my  own  conclusions,  which  were  probably  as 
erroneous  as  those  which  have  been  made  by  others  in 
regard  to  this  mystery.  Although  my  uncle  had  the  same 
name  as  the  Earls  of  Strathmore,  he  belonged  to  the  Glen 
Ogle  Lyons,  a  collateral  branch  of  the  family.  At  that  time 
the  two  branches  had  become  close  in  the  line  of  descent, 
though  now  they  are  again  widely  divergent. 

The  park  round  Glamis  Castle  is  extensive,  and  has  a 
small  stream  running  through  woods.  A  deep  pool,  in  a 
sequestered  spot,  was  my  favourite  haunt,  at  which  I  spent 
many  hours  of  meditation,  for  I  had  no  playfellows  at  the 
old  manse.  I  believe  that  this  lonely  pool,  surrounded  by 
trees,  taught  me  to  feel  that  happiness  depends  upon  one- 
self as  much  as  upon  one's  surroundings.  The  family  of 
my  uncle  consisted  of  his  wife  and  two  daughters.  The 
old  minister  himself  was  simple  and  worthy.  Daily  I 
would  drive  out  with  the  grey-haired  old  man,  in  a  gig 
drawn  by  a  horse  which  could  not  go  beyond  five  miles  an 
hour,  but  was  believed  by  the  owner  to  be  one  of  the  best 
and  fastest  horses  in  the  kingdom.  The  good  old  man 
went  at  the  same  relative  pace  in  his  parochial  duties. 
The  minister's  wife,  my  dear  old  aunt,  lavished  upon  me 
the  love  of  a  mother  to  a  child.     Two  charming  young 


32  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

ladies,  my  cousins,  made  my  stay  at  the  manse  as  agree- 
able as  possible,  and  I  returned  with  gladness  at  each  vaca- 
tion. They  are  all  dead  long  since,  but  my  memories  of 
their  love  and  kindness  live  fresh  within  me. 

For  nearly  sixty  years  I  never  saw  Glamis  again.  Last 
year  (1885)  we  were  staying  in  its  neighbourhood  at 
Kinnordy  with  Mr  and  Mrs  Lyell.1  My  wife  and  I 
desired  to  see  Glamis,  and  Lady  Strathmore  asked  us 
to  visit  the  scenes  of  my  boyhood.  It  was  all  wonder- 
fully changed  and  beautified,  but  it  was  the  old  Glamis 
still.  We  went  to  the  top  of  the  castle,  and  I  explained 
to  my  wife  all  the  points  of  interest  connected  with 
my  life  as  a  boy  at  this  place.  Lady  Strathmore  was 
full  of  sympathy  with  my  memories,  and  insisted  on 
being  my  guide  to  see  the  manse,  which  I  found  very 
little  changed,  my  reflecting  haunt  by  the  old  pool,  and 
the  other  objects  which  I  remembered  so  well.  She 
even  showed  me  a  secret  chamber,  though  not  the  secret 
chamber  which  has  defied  so  many  keen  inquirers.  It 
was  delightful  to  me  to  see  the  castle  again  inhabited  by 
an  Earl  of  Strathmore,  who  has  restored  it  so  as  to  make 
it  worthy  of  its  great  history.  In  the  old  hall  of  the  castle 
we  witnessed  an  operetta  written  by  a  son,  and  acted  by 
the  sons  and  daughters,  of  our  hosts,  and  most  admirably 
it  was  performed. 

At  fourteen  years  of  age  I  was  enrolled  as  a  "  Bejant," 
or  first  year's  student  in  the  University,  and  had  to  pay 
my  tax  of  several  pounds  of  raisins  to  a  senior  boy  in 
recognition  of  my  inferiority.  My  three  professors  were 
Professor  Gillespie  for  Latin,  Professor  Alexander  for 
Greek,  and  Professor  Duncan  for  mathematics.  All  were 
excellent  teachers  and  did  their  best  for  me,  but  I  was 
miserably  prepared  for  a  university  course.  Of  Greek  I 
scarcely  knew  the  alphabet,  though  I  had  acquired  it  by 
myself  without  a  pronunciation  of  the  letters.  I  remember, 
the  professor,  to  test  my  knowledge  of  Greek,  asked  me 
before  all  the  class  what  "basileus"  meant,  and  I  answered 
that  I  had  not  yet  reached  the  verbs.    However,  I  worked 

1  Now  Sir  Leonard  and  Lady  Lyell. 


EDUCATION.  33 

hard,  and  made  as  much  progress  as  I  could  under  the 
circumstances  of  absolute  ignorance  in  Greek  and  mathe- 
matics, and  very  imperfect  preliminary  education  in  Latin. 
The  Professor  of  Latin  encouraged  boys,  in  their  long  six 
months'  holidays,  to  read  certain  classical  authors,  and 
"profess"  them  for  examination  before  him.  I  was  so 
elated  by  my  progress  that  in  the  second  year  I 
"  professed "  all  Horace,  and  several  books  of  Livy.  I 
expect  my  "professions"  were  as  unsubstantial  as  those 
made  by  most  persons  of  their  own  attainments,  for  the 
certificate  given  by  the  professor  stated  that  I  "  had  been 
diligent  in  the  recess,  and  had  made  extensive  professions," 
without  a  word  of  compliment  as  to  the  result.  In  Greek 
my  professor  thought  that  I  made  good  progress,  but  I 
never  learnt  sufficient  to  make  Greek  authors  a  pleasure  to 
me  in  their  own  language.  I  had  not  yet  found  the  kind 
of  knowledge  for  which  I  was  best  suited.  Mathematics 
pleased  me  much,  and  I  soon  got  beyond  the  slow  pace  of 
my  class  by  private  study.  Professor  Duncan  knew  his 
subject  thoroughly,  but  he  had  not  the  faculty  of  explaining 
difficulties,  and  his  class  was  called  "the  slough  of 
despond."  Although  I  was  not  entered  in  the  class  of 
Chemistry  and  Natural  Philosophy,  I  delighted,  when  I 
could  do  so  with  decency,  to  steal  in  with  the  other 
students  and  listen  to  the  lectures.  I  did  fairly  well  in  the 
class  of  logic,  but  much  regret  that  I  did  not  attend  Moral 
Philosophy,  which  was  then  taught  by  the  great  divine, 
Dr  Chalmers.  My  elder  brother,  George,  and  I  were 
beginning  to  find  out  for  ourselves  the  studies  best  fitted 
for  us.  We  were  occupied  one  afternoon  in  the  kitchen, 
when  my  mother,  displeased  at  our  remaining  so  long  with 
the  servants,  came  downstairs,  and  was  appeased  by  the 
cook  telling  her  "that  Master  George  was  boiling  a  sparrow 
to  make  a  skeleton,  and  Master  Lyon  was  trying  to  get 
sugar  out  of  beetroot."  George  was  laying  the  basis  for 
becoming,  as  he  did,  President  of  a  Medical  College,  and  I, 
for  my  future  career  as  Professor  of  Chemistry. 

Our  dear  family  home  was  now  broken  up,  as  my  mother 
had  to  take  her  daughters  to   India  to  rejoin  my  father. 

D 


34  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

My  brother  George  went  to  Edinburgh  to  enter  on  the 
study  of  medicine,  and  I  was  sent  to  my  Uncle  James  in 
Glasgow  to  be  made  a  merchant.  My  uncle  had  only  one 
clerk  in  addition  to  myself,  as  his  business  was  in  Canada, 
and  there  was  little  work  in  the  Glasgow  office.  He 
frequently  went  to  Canada,  and  the  office  was  left  in  our 
charge,  with  not  half  an  hour's  work  in  the  day  to  perform. 
My  fellow  clerk,  Ramsay,  was  the  brother  of  Sir  Andrew 
Ramsay,  the  distinguished  geologist.  In  our  abundant 
leisure  we  amused  ourselves  by  inventing  instruments  by 
which  we  could  compete  with  each  other  in  telling  the 
true  time  by  the  shadows  of  the  lamp-posts  in  the  streets. 
This  idleness  disgusted  me  with  mercantile  life,  which  I 
thought  was  of  the  same  character  everywhere.  I  passed, 
however,  a  happy  time  with  my  aunt  (whose  disfigurement 
I  have  already  mentioned)  in  her  villa  and  surrounding 
grounds  at  Woodside  on  the  Kelvin,  then  wholly  outside 
Glasgow.  It  is  now  covered  with  terraces  and  crescents. 
At  that  time  it  was  quite  remote  from  houses  and  very 
lonely. 

I  recollect  on  one  occasion  that  my  inventiveness  was  of 
service.  My  aunt  had  a  beautiful  nursemaid.  We  received 
an  anonymous  letter  stating  that  the  maid  was  really  the 
wife  of  a  neighbouring  collier,  and  that  next  night  the  collier 
would  attack  the  house  and  take  her  away  by  force. 
My  uncle  was  then  in  Canada,  and  I  was  the  only  apology 
for  a  man  in  the  house.  I  took  the  letter  to  the  police, 
who  laughed  at  it  as  a  hoax,  and  would  give  no  assistance. 
From  the  terror  of  the  maid  I  felt  it  was  no  hoax,  and  pre- 
pared myself  for  an  attack.  I  dressed  up  the  figure  of  a 
man  and  put  him  close  to  an  upper  window,  with  a  gun 
resting  on  the  shutters  opposite,  and  a  candle  burning  so  as 
to  show  him  obscurely,  yet  to  the  best  advantage.  At  one 
the  next  morning  I  saw  by  the  moonlight  four  or  five  men 
crossing  the  lawn.  They  came  to  the  door  and  rang  the 
bell  violently.  I  opened  it  "  on  the  chain,"  and  asked 
what  they  intended  to  do.  The  professed  husband  said  he 
wanted  his  wife,  and  would  have  her.  I  acknowledged  his 
right  to  his  wife  if  he  could  establish  his  claim,  but  that 


EDUCATION.  35 

must  be  done  in  a  court  of  law,  as  she  denied  being 
married.  I  told  him  that  the  police  knew  of  this  intended 
visit,  and  were  probably  watching  the  place,  and  then  said 
we  had  a  watchman  in  the  house.  They  went  back, 
examined  my  stuffed  figure  in  the  dim  light,  with  his  gun 
ready  for  action,  and  disappeared  as  quickly  as  they  came. 
I  had  won  a  bloodless  victory  ! 

On  my  uncle's  return  he  was  much  pleased  with  my 
defence  of  his  mansion,  and  agreed  that  my  terms  of 
engagement  as  a  clerk  should  be  cancelled,  and  that  I 
should  enter  upon  a  course  of  study  for  medicine.  I  went 
to  board  at  the  house  of  Mrs  Ramsay,  a  widow,  the 
mother  of  my  fellow  clerk.  She  received  about  half  a 
dozen  students  as  boarders,  and  was  an  admirable  woman 
in  every  respect.  Her  husband  had  been  a  chemical 
manufacturer,  and  I  believe  was  the  first  person  to 
manufacture  bichromate  of  potash  ;  but  his  commercial 
success  was  not  equal  to  his  scientific  aptitude.  The 
inheritance  of  the  latter  passed  to  his  children  and  grand- 
children, one  of  whom  is  professor  of  chemistry  in 
University  College.  His  son,  Andrew  Ramsay,  was  one 
of  the  greatest  friends  of  my  youth,  and  ultimately 
became  Sir  Andrew  Ramsay,  the  head  of  the  Geological 
Survey.  No  one  could  have  had  a  better  friend,  and  we 
used  to  spend  our  vacation  in  the  island  of  Arran,  which  is 
admirably  fitted  for  geological  study. 

In  one  of  my  annual  trips  to  Arran,  in  1836,  I  carried 
with  me  the  first  prize  of  the  chemistry  class.  The  book 
was  a  handsomely  bound  copy  of  Lyell's  '  Geology,'  which 
I  read  on  my  way  down  the  Clyde.  A  charming  lady  sat 
next  me  in  the  steamer.  We  entered  into  conversation, 
and  she  asked  me  the  name  of  the  book  which  interested 
me  so  much.  I  explained  to  her  that  Lyell,  the  author  of 
the  book,  had  established  geology  on  a  new  basis,  for  he 
ascribed  to  natural  and  continuous  causes  the  formation  of 
rocks,  which  formerly  were  supposed  to  be  produced  by 
cataclysms  and  special  deluges.  The  lady  seemed  to  be 
amused,  and  said  that  she  was  glad  Lyell  had  such  an 
enthusiastic  admirer,  because  she  was  his  wife,  and  that 


36  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

gentleman  on  the  other  side  of  the  boat  was  Lyell  himself. 
My  hero-worship  had  its  reward,  for  she  beckoned  to  the 
great  geologist  and  introduced  me  to  him.  When  we 
remained  at  Arran,  Lyell  used  to  go  into  the  interior ; 
while  I,  knowing  more  about  conchology  than  geology, 
assisted  Mrs  Lyell  in  getting  shells  on  the  seashore.  This 
was  the  basis  of  a  friendship  which  lasted  till  the  death  of 
Sir  Charles  and  Lady  Lyell.  Last  year  (1885)  I  asked 
the  sisters  of  the  latter  to  look  at  their  correspondence  for 
1836,  and  they  found  a  letter  from  Lady  Lyell  telling 
them  that  she  had  the  good  fortune  to  sit  next  an 
enthusiastic  Glasgow  student  in  the  steamboat,  who 
pointed  out  to  her  various  objects  of  interest. 

I  return  from  my  digression  to  the  beginning  of  my 
medical  studies  in  1835.  As  chemistry  was  my  favourite 
study,  I  determined  to  enter  the  Andersonian  College 
rather  than  the  Glasgow  University.  It  is  true  that  the 
Professor  of  Chemistry  at  the  latter  was  the  famous  Dr 
Thomson,  whose  '  System  of  Chemistry '  was  long  the  text- 
book of  the  science.  The  Andersonian  College  had  a 
younger  man,  Professor  Graham,  one  of  the  most  original 
investigators  of  his  time.  His  researches  on  'Water  of 
Crystallisation,'  the  diffusion  of  gases,  and  the  '  Modifica- 
tions of  Phosphoric  Acid,'  were  deemed  to  be  classical 
examples  of  investigation.  Accordingly,  I  enrolled  myself 
as  a  student  at  his  lectures  and  in  his  laboratory. 

There  were  two  other  youths  there  at  that  time,  whose 
friendship  I  then  made,  and  retained  till  their  death.  One 
afterwards  was  widely  known  as  Livingstone,  the  great 
African  traveller.  Livingstone  was  five  or  six  years  older 
than  myself.  He  was  then  too  poor  to  attend  the 
laboratory  as  a  regular  student,  but  he  did  enter  Graham's 
class  of  lectures,  and  also  that  of  Dr  Buchanan,  another 
medical  professor.  At  both  these  classes  I  naturally 
cultivated  the  friendship  of  this  earnest  student.  In  after 
years,  when  the  name  of  Livingstone  became  a  household 
word,  it  never  occurred  to  me  that  he  might  be  the  shy 
lad  whom  I  knew  in  1836.  When  the  well-known 
traveller,  with  the  gold  band  round  his  hat,  visited  me  in 


EDUCATION.  37 

1857,  it  seemed  natural  that  he  should  do  so,  because  he 
had  occasionally  written  me  letters  on  subjects  of  scientific 
interest  during  his  absence ;  but  he  had  now  to  explain 
that  he  was  identical  with  my  fellow- student  in  Glasgow. 
After  that  we  saw  a  good  deal  of  each  other,  and  it  was 
easy  to  see  in  the  man  the  natural  development  of  the 
simple,  earnest,  and  energetic  youth  of  early  years. 
When  his  wife  returned  to  Scotland,  early  in  1859,  she 
came  direct,  and  without  notice,  to  my  house  in  Edin- 
burgh. There  happened  to  be  a  large  dinner  party  when 
Mrs  Livingstone,  whom  I  had  never  seen,  was  ushered 
into  the  dining-room  in,  naturally,  a  travel-stained  dress. 
The  announcement  of  her  name  assured  her  the  warmest 
reception  from  everyone.  Mrs  Livingstone  was  most 
anxious  to  join  her  children  that  night,  but  did  not  know 
their  address,  although  she  thought  they  lived  in  one  of 
the  longest  streets  of  the  city.  I  immediately  got  two  or 
three  porters  to  divide  the  street  between  them,  and  call 
at  every  house.  In  time  we  discovered  the  address  of  the 
lady  to  whom  the  children  had  come  on  a  visit,  and  the 
anxious  mother  was  able  to  join  them.  I  am  afraid  Mrs 
Livingstone  found  the  situation  more  strained  than  we 
did,  though  it  was  somewhat  difficult  to  reconcile  the 
duties  to  dinner  guests  with  those  due  to  the  wife  of  my 
friend.  But  people  who  knew  the  wonderful  resources  of 
Mrs  Livingstone,  and  her  admirable  character,  will  not  be 
surprised  that  she  was  the  most  calm  and  collected  of  the 
large  party  among  whom  she  suddenly  appeared. 

Another  fellow-student  was  James  Young,  the  founder 
of  the  paraffin  and  paraffin  oil  industry.  Young  was  a 
carpenter  by  trade,  and,  like  Watt,  was  employed  to  repair 
some  of  the  instruments  in  the  laboratory,  and  ultimately 
was  engaged  as  an  assistant.  He  was  a  raw  youth  when  I 
first  knew  him,  but  he  made  a  large  fortune,  and  was  a 
most  intelligent  companion.  He  always  ascribed  his  success 
in  the  world  to  a  suggestion  which  I  made  to  him  in  1847 
that  he  might  manufacture  useful  oils  from  a  natural  spring 
of  petroleum  which  was  found  in  one  of  the  coal  mines 
belonging  to  my  future  brother-in-law,  James  Oakes,  of 


38  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Riddings  in  Derbyshire.  This  oil,  when  cold,  deposited 
shining  crystals  which  I  recognised  to  be  the  paraffin  of 
Reichenbach.  I  suggested  that  it  might  be  made  into 
candles,  and  with  much  difficulty  he  got  enough  to  make 
two  candles,  which  I  exhibited  in  a  lecture  at  the  Royal 
Institution,  placing  them  lighted  on  each  side  of  my  desk. 
Young  kept  the  remains  of  these  original  candles  as  a 
memorial  of  the  origin  of  one  of  the  largest  of  the  chemi- 
cal industries  of  modern  times.  Young  made  a  large  for- 
tune by  the  manufacture  of  artificial  petroleum  and  its 
products.  When  he  died  he  made  me  one  of  the  execu- 
tors of  his  extensive  estates.  The  manufacture  was  new  in 
the  form  in  which  it  was  introduced,  though  natural  petro- 
leum has  been  used  certainly  since  the  time  of  Cyrus.  I 
believe  that  it  was  known  in  ancient  Biblical  history,  where 
it  is  described  as  "the  salt  of  the  earth."  When  such  salt 
loses  its  savour  "  it  is  only  fit  to  be  trodden  under  the 
foot "  of  man,  because  on  losing  its  volatile  essence  it  be- 
comes asphalte,  which  was  used  for  pavements  both  in 
Nineveh  and  Babylon.  Occasionally  it  is  spoken  of  as 
"  thick  water,"  as  in  the  remarkable  chapter  in  Maccabees, 
ii.  i,  where  it  is  described  as  being  used  in  burnt  offerings  : 
"And  Neemias  called  this  thing  Naphthar,  which  is  as 
much  as  to  say  a  cleansing." 

Livingstone,  Young,  and  I  were  Graham's  favourite 
pupils.  Graham,  our  teacher,  was  a  profound  philosopher 
and  original  discoverer.  He  was  a  singularly  plain  man, 
though  his  expression  was  full  of  intelligence.  As  a  pro- 
fessor, he  was  unable  to  keep  discipline  among  his  stu- 
dents, and  his  expository  powers  were  not  of  a  high 
order.  To  earnest  students  his  lectures  were  full  of 
matter,  but  to  the  ordinary  attendants  at  his  class  they 
were  obscure. 

After  spending  two  years  at  several  medical  classes, 
though  chiefly  with  Graham,  the  latter  was  called  to  Uni- 
versity College,  London.  The  chief  attraction  of  Glasgow 
for  me  was  thus  gone,  and  I  went  to  complete  my  studies 
in  the  University  of  Edinburgh.  My  anatomy  and  surgery 
had  been  neglected  by  too  exclusive  attention  to  chemistry. 


EDUCATION.  39 

I  at  once  made  friends  with  students,  my  seniors  in  study, 
who  adopted  me  into  their  set  on  account  of  my  scientific 
tastes.  Among  these  were  two  who  honoured  me  by  their 
friendship  till  their  death.  The  first  was  the  great  anatomist 
Goodsir,  afterwards  Professor  of  Anatomy  in  the  University. 
He  was  a  perfect  type  of  a  student  and  an  ardent  lover  of 
science.  The  second  was  a  man  who  exercised  extreme 
powers  of  fascination  over  everyone  with  whom  he  came 
in  contact,  Edward  Forbes,  afterwards  the  Professor  of 
Natural  History  in  Edinburgh.  He  lived  in  lodgings  at  the 
top  of  a  house,  and  the  sloping  roof  was  covered  with 
molluscs  and  star-fish  drying  in  the  sun.  Many  happy 
hours  were  spent  with  him  in  watching  his  labours. 
Forbes  was  an  artist,  a  poet,  and  a  philosopher.  He  was 
a  tall  man  with  a  bright,  intelligent  face,  and  was  a  leader 
among  the  students  both  in  work  and  fun.  He  founded 
an  order  of  brotherhood,  to  which  access  was  difficult.  It 
had  a  badge  of  red  silk  ribbon  with  three  letters  worked 
into  it — "  M.  E.  O." — the  initials  of  the  Greek  words 
signifying  Learning,  Love,  and  Wine.  I  am  afraid  the 
latter  was  represented  in  our  gatherings  by  whisky  toddy, 
in  which  however  we  never  exceeded.  George  Wilson, 
the  author  of  the  charming  book,  '  The  Five  Gateways  of 
Knowledge,'  was  one  of  our  brotherhood,  and  in  many 
respects  was  as  charming  and  lovable  as  Forbes.  I  fear 
that  I  am  now  the  only  surviving  brother  of  this  order, 
which  was  the  legitimate  parent  of  the  famous  dining-club 
called  "  The  Red  Lions,"  which  still  holds  high  festival  at 
the  meetings  of  the  British  Association  for  the  Advance- 
ment of  Science.  While  Forbes  lived,  he  and  I  were  con- 
stant members  of  this  club.  No  one  was  allowed  to  cheer 
at  its  meetings,  for  lions  could  onl}-  roar  and  wag  their 
tails  in  approval.  Forbes  could  not  sing,  but  he  chanted 
in  a  droll  way  his  original  songs.  He  generally  had  a  new 
one  for  each  meeting.  In  1845  I  was  sent  over  to  Ireland 
as  a  Commissioner  to  ascertain  the  extent  of  the  famine 
produced  by  the  potato  disease,  and  Forbes  gave  at  one 
of  the  dinners  a  poetical  version  of  my  report  which 
concluded  thus  :■ — 


40  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

"  We  state  these,  My  Lords,  as  our  opinions, 
'Tis  bad  for  the  British  Dominions  ; 
As  for  the  Solanum  tuberosum, 
It  is  a  horrible  thing  for  him  as  grows  'em." 

With  such  companions,  to  whom  I  should  add  Page,  a 
well-known  geological  author,  my  studies  in  medicine  were 
very  pleasant.  We  formed  a  special  scientific  society  of 
our  own  and  produced  original  papers,  a  few  of  which 
have  since  been  published. 

Among  the  professors  at  the  University  I  became  ac- 
quainted with  two,  Sir  Robert  Christison  and  Professor 
Syme,  who  remained  my  life-long  friends.  Unhappily, 
however,  my  medical  studies  had  to  be  abandoned,  be- 
cause the  atmosphere  both  of  the  dissecting  rooms  and  the 
hospital  produced  on  me  a  violent  eczema,  which  was 
uncontrollable,  and  much  to  my  grief  my  medical  advisers 
ordered  me  to  discontinue  the  study  of  medicine.  Stranded 
in  my  profession,  my  father  advised  me  to  look,  like  the 
rest  of  my  relatives,  to  India  for  a  career,  and  this  advice 
was  backed  by  my  physician,  who  thought  that  a  long  sea 
voyage  might  alter  my  constitution.  Accordingly,  in  the 
autumn  of  1837  I  embarked  in  a  sailing  ship  for  Calcutta 
by  the  old  route  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  The  voyage 
was  pleasant,  for  at  that  time  numerous  young  ladies  went 
out  to  India  to  look  for  a  career  also.  The  captain  of  our 
ship  was  not  only  an  irascible  but  a  naturally  cruel  man. 
The  crew  consisted  of  Lascars,  and  once  or  twice  a  week 
he  had  these  miserable  wretches  tied  up  and  severely 
flogged.  We  remained  for  a  fortnight  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  and  I  took  the  opportunity  of  studying  the  geology 
of  the  Table  Mountain,  of  which  I  had  already  had  full 
descriptions.  My  sobriquet  on  board  the  ship  was  always 
"the  philosopher,"  and  residents  at  Cape  Town  interested 
in  science  made  my  acquaintance,  so,  without  a  single 
introduction,  I  was  invited  out  almost  every  night.  I  have 
never  been  at  the  Cape  since  then,  but  have  always  felt  a 
warm  interest  in  its  welfare.  By  the  time  we  reached 
Calcutta  my  collection  of  sea-birds,  including  an  albatross, 
was  inconveniently  large.     I  had  taken  lessons  in  prepar- 


EDUCATION.  41 

ing  skins  and  mounting  them  before  leaving  England.  Our 
ship  was  occasionally  overrun  by  centipedes  and  scorpions, 
especially  after  the  anchor  chains  had  been  drawn  up  from 
below.  On  one  occasion  the  surgeon  came  into  my  cabin 
in  great  agony.  One  of  the  creatures  had  been  his  bed- 
fellow. As  the  wound  was  in  his  back  he  could  not  treat 
it,  so  I  became  surgeon  and  freely  lanced  the  wound,  apply- 
ing a  water  bandage.  In  about  two  hours  complete  relief 
was  obtained.  One  morning,  as  I  was  putting  on  my  shirt, 
I  noticed  a  scorpion  of  respectable  size  inside  the  sleeve. 
I  shook  it  into  a  bottle  of  alcohol  and  preserved  it  for 
many  years  afterwards. 

On  reaching  Calcutta1  I  found  that  my  father  had 
arranged  that  I  should  follow  a  mercantile  career  in  the 
house  of  Cantor,  Low  and  Co.,  with  an  understanding  that 
I  should  become  a  partner  in  due  time.  I  lived  with  Mr 
Low  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Hooghly,  rowing  over 
every  day  to  my  palanquin  which  waited  at  the  landing. 
Though  I  was  treated  with  the  utmost  kindness  by  both 
partners  of  the  firm,  my  duties  were  inexpressibly  irksome 
to  me.  As  junior  clerk  it  was  my  duty  to  waste  hours 
at  the  Custom  House  waiting  for  my  turn  to  clear  the 
imported  goods.  Whenever  I  had  leisure  I  used  to  go  to 
the  College  to  see  the  Professor  of  Chemistry,  Sir  W. 
O'Shaughnessy.  I  gradually  made  the  acquaintance  of  all 
the  scientific  men  in  Calcutta.  McClellan,  author  of  the 
'  Geology  of  Kamaon,'  Prinsep,  Wallich  and  others,  were 
considerate  to  the  youth  whose  scientific  longings  were 
greater  than  his  mercantile  aspirations.  Without  my 
knowledge  several  of  them  wrote  to  my  father  advising 
him  to  send  me  back  to  Europe  to  finish  my  chemical 
studies,  and  pledging  themselves  that  I  should  find  a  good 
career  in  England,  while  my  prospects  as  a  merchant  were 
not  great.  I  do  not  know  whether  the  position  of  the 
firm,  in  which  I  was  ultimately  to  become  a  partner,  was 
known  to  them,  but  it  is  fortunate  that  I  left  it,  for  in  a 
year  or  two  afterwards  it  failed.     My  father  was  in  the 

1  This  was  in  the  year  1837,  when  Lyon  Playfair  was  in  his  nineteenth 
year. 


42  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Upper  Provinces,  which  at  that  time  could  only  be  reached 
by  dak,  i.e.,  by  palanquin  carried  by  bearers,  and  as  the 
visit  to  my  parents  would  have  occupied  some  months,  my 
father  wrote,  telling  me  of  this  correspondence,  and  urged 
me  to  go  back  to  London  in  order  to  join  my  old  teacher, 
Graham,  who  was  then  Professor  at  University  College. 
I  was  too  glad  to  do  so,  though  sorry  to  leave  India 
without  seeing  my  parents,  who  had  always  been  so  kind 
to  me,  and  one  of  whom  I  only  knew  by  correspondence. 
I  need  say  nothing  of  the  voyage  back  except  that  we 
touched  at  St.  Helena,  where  the  volcanic  rocks  interested 
me  greatly,  in  addition  to  the  associations  connected 
w ith  the  life  and  death  of  Napoleon  in  that  lonely  island. 
During  the  voyage  we  signalled  a  ship  which  told  us 
of  the  coronation  of  the  Queen  (1838). 

Graham  was  delighted  to  receive  his  former  pupil  in  his 
laboratory.  He  appointed  me  private  assistant  in  his 
researches  and  declined  to  treat  me  as  a  pupil.  James 
Young  was  still  his  lecture  assistant,  and  the  students  were 
as  badly  kept  in  order  as  those  in  Glasgow.  I  never 
understood  this  want  of  discipline,  for  Graham's  lectures 
were  admirable,  and  his  lecture  experiments  exceedingly 
well  prepared  and  performed.  I  attended  Professor 
Sharpey's  lectures  on  Physiology  and  Dr  Pereira's  on 
Materia  Medica,  as  I  still  hoped  that  I  might  take  my 
medical  degree. 

Next  year,  1839,  Graham  strongly  advised  me  to  go  to 
Giessen,  in  Germany,  to  study  under  the  great  chemist 
Liebig,  the  founder  of  organic  chemistry,  and  one  of  the 
most  acute  and  remarkable  philosophers  of  the  age.  On 
presenting  myself  to  Liebig  I  was  much  struck  by  his 
handsome  appearance  and  classically  cut  face.  I  men- 
tioned my  name,  and  told  him  that  I  was  a  pupil  of 
Graham's,  and  he  laughingly  said,  "  You  might  have  added 
that  you  are  the  discoverer  of  iodo-sulphuric  acid,"  which 
I  had  recently  described  in  short  papers.  Finding  that  I 
was  not  a  mere  tyro  in  chemistry  he  welcomed  me 
warmly,  and  at  once  asked  me  to  help  him  in  some  re- 
searches   upon    the    fatty    bodies.     Before,    however,    I 


EDUCATION.  43 

entered  on  this  inquiry,  he  pitted  me  against  one  of  his 
most  careful  assistants  to  make  an  organic  analysis  of  an 
unknown  substance.  Our  two  analyses  came  out  identical 
to  the  first  decimal  place,  and  I  became  a  favourite  pupil. 
At  that  time  Liebig  had  the  best  laboratory  in  Europe, 
and  among  the  pupils  were  Ettling,  Will,  Varrentrapp, 
Knapp,  Kopp  and  others,  all  of  whom  rose  to  profes- 
sorial rank,  and  some  to  great  distinction  as  discoverers. 
We  were  almost  all  engaged  in  the  repetition  and  exten- 
sion of  Chevreul's  discoveries  on  fatty  bodies,  a  masterly 
research  for  the  time  at  which  it  was  made.  I  was  fortu- 
nate in  finding  a  new  fatty  acid  in  the  butter  of  nutmeg, 
which  I  called  "  Myristic  Acid,"  and  a  new  crystalline 
substance  in  cloves,  "  Caryophylline."  Liebig  at  this  time 
was  writing  his  great  book  on  agricultural  chemistry,  and 
he  invited  me  to  translate  it  into  English  from  the  manu- 
script. I  arranged  with  English  publishers  to  do  this  for  a 
hundred  pounds,  the  first  money  which  I  had  yet  earned. 
My  knowledge  of  German  was  not  good,  but  I  had  a 
motive  to  work  hard,  and  my  translation  progressed  as  fast 
as  the  manuscript.  It  was  thought  desirable  that  Liebig's 
agricultural  views  should  be  announced  in  a  general  way 
at  the  meeting  of  the  British  Association  in  Glasgow. 
Liebig  was  unable  to  go,  and  persuaded  me  to  be  his  repre- 
sentative. Several  of  the  young  chemists,  among  whom 
were  Ettling,  Will  and  Varrentrapp,  joined  in  the  trip. 
When  we  reached  Glasgow  I  found  that  I  had  been 
appointed  Secretary  to  the  Chemical  Section.  At  this 
meeting  I  made  friends  with  several  men  who  afterwards 
exercised  a  considerable  influence  upon  my  life.  One 
of  these  was  Dr  Buckland,  the  great  geologist,  and  the 
other,  Sir  Henry  de  la  Beche,  the  head  of  the  Geological 
Survey. 

My  student  days  were  soon  to  be  over,  so  I  returned  to 
Giessen  and  took  a  degree  as  "Doctor  of  Philosophy." 
The  visit  to  Glasgow  had  made  me  known  to  various 
chemical  manufacturers,  and  in  the  spring  of  the  following 
year  (1841)  I  received  an  offer  from  Mr  Thomson,  of 
Clitheroe,  to  become  chemical  manager  of  his  large  print 


44  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

works.  His  letter  was  peculiar,  and  made  the  condition 
that  I  should  meet  him  at  Spring  Gardens,  in  London,  that 
day  week  at  twelve  o'clock.  Those  were  coaching  days, 
and  I  went  down  the  Rhine,  when  the  ice  was  breaking  up 
and  the  villages  were  flooded.  In  one  of  these  I  passed 
the  greatest  part  of  the  night  in  a  boat,  helping  the 
villagers  to  get  out  of  their  houses,  and  placing  them  on  a 
neighbouring  hill.  However,  I  got  to  London  in  time,  and 
reached  Spring  Gardens  at  a  quarter  to  twelve  on  the  day 
appointed ;  walking  up  and  down  the  street  till  two 
minutes  to  the  hour,  I  presented  myself  in  the  room  just  as 
the  Horse  Guards  clock  struck  twelve.  Mr  Thomson,  a 
gentlemanly-looking  old  man,  sat  with  a  watch  in  his  hand. 
He  said,  "  You  are  very  punctual,"  and  explained  the 
nature  of  the  work.  He  then  stated  that  his  intention  had 
been  to  offer  me  .£300  a  year,  rising  to  ^400,  but  on 
account  of  my  punctuality  on  the  day  and  hour  named,  he 
would  make  his  offer  .£400,  rising  to  £600.  This  was  an 
excellent  reward  for  punctuality,  so  I  accepted  the  terms 
offered,  and  my  student  days  were  at  an  end.  It  appears 
that  my  employer  had  consulted  both  Graham  and  Liebig 
as  to  how  he  should  obtain  a  trained  chemist,  and  both 
had  recommended  me. 

On  returning  to  Giessen  to  wind  up  affairs  I  determined 
to  visit  Berlin  before  going  back  to  England.  At  that  time, 
being  only  twenty-two  years  of  age,  I  could  scarcely 
expect  to  have  the  advantage  of  knowing  the  distinguished 
philosophers  who  then  made  the  University  of  Berlin  so 
celebrated.  On  arriving  in  Berlin,  to  my  surprise,  the 
professors  received  me  as  a  colleague,  not  as  a  student. 
The  results  of  some  of  my  investigations  made  at  Liebig's 
laboratory  seemed  to  be  well  known  in  Berlin.  Heinrich 
Roze,  the  great  analyst,  Mitscherlich,  the  discoverer  of 
isomerism,  Magnus,  the  eminent  physicist,  Dove,  the 
meteorologist,  Schonheim,  the  author  of  the  great  work  on 
technical  chemistry,  Rammelsberg  the  mineralogist,  all 
vied  with  each  other  to  make  my  stay  in  Berlin  agreeable. 
Heinrich  Roze  was  especially  hospitable,  and  kindly  asked 
many  of  his  colleagues  to  meet  me  at  dinner  and  supper. 


EDUCATION.  45 

He  was  a  man  of  sunny  temperament,  and  had  a  happy 
home.  My  English  notions  were  a  little  disturbed  at 
finding  that  he  had  married  his  deceased  wife's  sister,  but 
the  happiness  of  his  home  made  me  a  convert  on  this 
contested  question,  not  even  now  settled  in  England. 
Dove,  whose  labours  in  meteorology  had  been  so  great, 
reminded  me  of  my  friend  Edward  Forbes,  on  account  of 
his  fun  and  jollity.  He  gave  a  supper  in  a  restaurant  one 
evening,  and  this  was  more  like  a  "  Red  Lion  dinner " 
at  the  British  Association  than  any  other  festivity. 
Original  songs  and  grotesque  speeches  kept  us  up  to  a  late 
hour.  I  made  a  speech  in  German  which  was  well 
received,  and  I  fancy  was  appreciated  more  from  its  zeal 
than  for  its  philological  accuracy.  Mitscherlich  was  too 
dignified  to  join  in  such  entertainments,  but  he  had  a 
formal  evening  reception  at  which  I  met  all  the  leading 
men  in  Berlin.  The  hospitality  which  I  then  received 
in  Berlin  I  have  tried  to  repay  with  interest  to  young 
foreigners  in  this  country. 

By  far  the  most  important  event  of  Playfair's  life  up  to 
this  moment  had  been  his  introduction  to  Professor  Liebig. 
This  was  indeed  the  turning-point  in  his  life,  for  it  brought 
him,  whilst  still  a  youth,  into  contact  with  the  first  chemist 
of  his  day,  and  gave  him  a  position  in  the  scientific  world 
which  his  own  work  and  abilities,  great  though  both  were, 
could  not  have  secured  for  him  so  quickly  or  so  easily.  It 
was  his  old  friend  and  teacher,  Professor  Graham,  who 
gave  Playfair  an  introduction  to  Liebig. 

9,  Torrington  Square,  London, 
Professor  Graham  to  Playfair.  September  30th,  1839. 

My  dear  Sir, — I  lose  no  time  in  forwarding  the  note 
to  Liebig  which  you  desire,  and  congratulating  you  upon 
the  agreeable  prospect  which  you  have  before  you.  The 
Professor,  I  have  no  doubt,  will  be  most  happy  to  receive 
you.     At  present  I  shall  take  advantage  of  your  kind  offer 


46  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

to  do  me  service  in  Germany  only  so  far  as  to  trouble  you 
with  a  copy  of 'the  part  of  my  book  just  published  for 
Liebig,  which,  with  copies  for  yourself  and  Richardson, 
shall  be  forwarded  to  Baillieres'  agents  in  Newcastle.  You 
will  find  that  I  have  made  room  for  a  short  notice  of  your 
discoveries.     .     .     . 

Most  faithfully  yours, 

Thomas  Graham. 

Playfair  has  told  us  how  cordially  he  was  received  by 
Liebig,  and  how  the  great  man  was  able  to  pay  him  a 
pretty  little  compliment  upon  his  early  discoveries.  He 
has  not,  however,  said  anything  of  the  warm  friendship 
which  sprang  up  between  them.  It  was  this  friendship 
which  led  Liebig  to  entrust  the  young  Scotch  chemist  with 
the  important  duty  of  translating  his  great  book  into 
English.  One  or  two  of  Liebig's  letters  will,  however, 
suffice  to  show  the  terms  on  which  the  two  stood. 

(  Translation^) 

Professor  Liebig  to  Playfair.  Giessen,  August  i^tk,  1841. 

My  dear  Playfair, — Forgive  my  having  so  long 
delayed  answering  your  kind  letter.  I  have  been  ill  for  a 
fortnight,  and  am  still  suffering,  though  better,  but  can 
get  through  very  little  work,  owing  to  constant  visitors. 

In  the  first  place,  my  dear  friend,  let  me  express  my 
sincere  delight  at  the  fine  and  pleasant  post  which  you  are 
taking  up  at  Primrose — one  which  suits  alike  your  talents 
and  your  inclinations.  In  all  that  you  do,  do  not  forget 
science,  and  keep  fresh  and  vigorous  your  taste  for  mental 
work,  for  unless  a  man  is  making  progress  in  that  which 
gives  nourishment  and  life  to  industry  he  is  scarcely  in  a 
position  to  fulfil  the  demands  of  his  times.  You  must 
never  stand  still,  but  go  ever  forward.  You  ought  to  let 
no  discovery  pass  unnoticed,  but  endeavour  to  turn  every 
one  to  account.     After   satisfying  the  claims  which  Mr 


EDUCATION.  47 

Thomson  makes  on  your  attainments  for  his  business,  you 
ought  not  to  trade  on  your  experience  and  your  chemical 
knowledge,  but  to  give  advice  and  help  where  they  can  be 
useful,  without  caring  about  receiving  any  reward.  All 
this  will  bear  rich  fruit  in  the  future.  Never  neglect  to 
make  some  research  every  year.  You  will  have  sufficient 
time  for  this,  and  it  will  raise  you  higher  in  the  eyes  of 
sensible  men,  and  be  more  really  beneficial  to  your  inter- 
ests than  if  you  tried  to  make  money.  Be  true  to  yourself 
and  true  to  science — this  is  all  that  I  wish  to  ask  of  you. 

As  regards  our  book,  we  will  give  something  on  the 
nature  of  the  soil,  not  in  the  book  itself,  but  as  an 
appendix.  This  will  come  best  at  the  end  of  the  book. 
You  know  I  did  not  wish  to  write  an  'Agricultural 
Chemistry,'  but  a  'Chemistry  of  Agriculture.'  I  must 
avoid  anything  bearing  on  practical  agriculture.  All  that 
we  can  say  of  the  constitution  of  the  soil,  all  that  analysis 
can  teach  us  on  the  subject,  does  not  enable  us  to  make  a 
bad  soil  into  a  good  one.  With  all  our  nostrums,  we 
cannot  alter  the  nature  of  the  soil,  except  at  immense 
cost.  We  must  be  content  if  we  restore  to  the  soil  that 
which  we  take  from  it,  and  the  latter  we  can  ascertain 
precisely  through  our  knowledge  of  the  constituents  of  the 
debris  of  the  plants  we  grow  upon  it.  This  is  the  task  of 
the  agriculturist.  In  consequence  of  my  observations  on 
the  amount  of  calcium  and  soda  which  should  be 
contained  in  all  soils  in  which  cereals  thrive,  Kuhlmann,  in 
Lille,  has  made  the  remarkable  discovery  that  all 
secondary  chalk  formations  contain  calcium.  This  dis- 
covery has  been  confirmed  by  Professor  Wohler  for  the 
chalkstones  of  Hameln  and  Gottingen.  I  will  send  you  a 
number  of  analyses  of  soils,  and  list  of  the  plants  which 
flourish  best  thereon. 

Professor  Adrian  tells  me  that  you  are  engaged  to  be 
married.  You  must  tell  me  whether  this  is  true,  for  my 
wife  and  I  are  deeply  interested. 

Farewell,  my  dear  friend.     Write  to  me  again  soon. 

Your  most  affectionate  friend, 

J.  V.  LlEBIG. 


48  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Same  to  the  same.  Giessen,  November  6th,  1841. 

My  valued  Friend, — I  have  received  the  five  last 
sheets  of  our  '  Agricultural  Chemistry/  and  am  delighted 
to  see  how  cleverly  you  have  adapted  your  additions  to  my 
modes  of  description.  Accept  my  sincere  thanks  for  the 
care  and  conscientiousness  which  you  have  devoted  to  the 
new  edition.  The  book  is  rendered  thereby  much  better 
and  more  useful.  Your  style  is  excellent,  and  leaves  no- 
thing to  be  desired ;  all  your  explanations  are  clear  and 
easily  understood.  In  short,  I  am  exceedingly  pleased  and 
satisfied.  I  have  kept  the  sheets  here  instead  of  returning 
them,  because  I  had  considerable  alterations  to  make  ; 
when  this  is  necessary  you  should  always  wait  eight  or 
nine  days  (reckoning  from  the  day  they  are  sent  off  from 
London),  and  then  if  the  proofs  have  not  been  returned, 
let  the  printing  be  continued.  .  .  .  You  make  me 
greatly  wish  to  come  to  England  next  spring,  in  order 
to  help  with  your  experiments.     .     .     . 

Accept  my  best  thanks  for  the  gooseberries  and  for  the 
excellent  Cheshire  cheese.  English  cheese  is  the  only  kind 
which  my  weak  stomach  can  digest.  No  doubt  an  oppor- 
tunity will  present  itself  of  sending  to  Giessen ;  there  is 
no  hurry. 

Acting  on  my  principle  this  summer,  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Frankfort,  apple  trees  have  been  manured  with 
the  residue  squeezed  out  by  the  cider  press,  and  the  results 
have  been  extraordinary.  Thus  many  things  may  be  found 
useful  which  have  been  regarded  as  worthless.  M. 
Dumas  has  given  a  lecture  in  the  Sorbonne  which  is  pub- 
lished in  the  '  Journal  des  Debats,'  in  which  he  has  impu- 
dently seized  upon  my  theory  of  the  development  of  plants, 
rotation  of  crops,  manures,  etc.  What  is  to  be  done  ?  I 
think  it  is  not  worth  while  to  trouble  about  it.  The  prin- 
cipal thing  is  that  the  truth  should  pass  into  the  very 
heart's  blood  of  the  nations. 

My  dear  Play  fair,  write  again  soon.  With  my  love  as  ever, 

Yours, 
Kind  regards  from  Dr  Will.  J.  v,  Liebig. 


EDUCATION.  49 

Same  to  the  same.  Giessen,  April  22nd,  1842. 

My  dear  Friend, —Whilst  in  Darmstadt  I  received 
your  kind  letter  inviting  me  to  attend  the  meeting  of  the 
British  Association  in  Manchester.  Having  returned 
yesterday  from  my  short  journey,  I  hasten  to  tell  you 
how  deeply  I  regret  being  unable  to  be  present  at  the 
meeting  at  the  time  fixed.  You  know  that  no  professor  on 
the  Continent  can  undertake  so  long  a  journey  in  June. 
I  cannot  reconcile  it  to  my  conscience  to  desert  my  pupils 
for  weeks  when  they  have  come  to  Giessen  for  the  express 
purpose  of  hearing  my  lectures.  Were  it  not  for  this 
moral  impediment  it  would  give  me  the  greatest  pleasure 
to  spend  a  few  weeks  with  you,  and  so  many  good  friends. 
But  what  is  the  idea  of  holding  the  meeting  in  June  instead 
of  in  the  autumn  as  usual  ?  Do  represent  to  the  com- 
mittee that  by  fixing  their  meeting  in  the  middle  of 
the  summer  all  professors  and  investigators  of  the  Con- 
tinent are  excluded.  It  is  my  opinion  that  in  such 
important  scientific  meetings  the  general  interest  should 
be  considered  before  that  of  the  geologists,  who,  of  course, 
need  good  weather  for  their  excursions.  But  is  it  intended 
to  attempt  discoveries  at  the  meeting  ?  Of  course  not ; 
discoveries  are  to  be  communicated  and  interchanged,  and 
in  Germany  we  have  always  found  bad,  especially  rainy, 
weather  more  favourable  to  our  object  than  fine  clear 
weather.  There  is  more  temptation  in  fine  weather  to 
wander  off  in  different  directions,  but  bad  weather  keeps 
the  party  together.  This  is  no  joke,  dear  Play  fair,  but 
the  simple  truth.  I  don't  mean  to  say  that  I  wish  the 
assembled  Society  bad  weather  in  the  autumn  for  their 
own  good,  I  merely  mean  that  such  does  not  injure  their 
main  object.  I  and  several  of  my  friends  intend  to  go  to 
England  if  the  meeting  can  be  postponed  until  September 
1  st.  I  should  then  start  from  here  about  August  24th,  and 
should  be  able  with  my  English  friends  to  attend  the 
meeting  at  Mainz  beginning  on  September  18th.  If  the 
British  Association  cannot  postpone  its  meeting  till  Sep- 
tember I  shall  probably  come  to  England  after  the  Mainz 


50  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

meeting.  I  am  anxious  to  become  acquainted  with  some 
of  the  agricultural  districts. 

Graham,  Gregory,  and  all  British  investigators  of  natural 
history  wish  for  a  postponement  till  autumn.  Do  speak  to 
Dr  Ransom  and  Dr  Henry,  and  apply  to  the  Committee. 
I  much  wish  that  you  may  be  successful. 

My  '  Animal  Physiology  '  is  now  finished.  Gregory  will 
translate  it.  I  am  full  of  apprehension  and  anxiety  as 
regards  my  conclusions,  because  they  are  obvious  only  to 
chemists  and  not  to  physiologists.  There  will  doubtless 
be  endless  misunderstandings. 

With  my  most  cordial  regards, 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

Dr  J.  v.  Liebig. 

Liebig  came  to  England  as  he  promised  in  the  foregoing 
letter,  and  Playfair  was  able  to  do  something  to  make  his 
visit  a  pleasant  one,  thus  cementing  the  friendship  which 
already  existed  between  them. 

Same  to  the  same.  Giessen,  October  23rd,  1842. 

My  dear  Friend, — The  day  before  yesterday  I  arrived 
safely  home  after  my  long  journey,  feeling  better  than  ever 
before.  I  met  my  wife  and  Agnes  at  Lille  in  the  best  01 
health.  Pelouse  came  from  Paris,  and  we  spent  a  very 
pleasant  week.  From  Lille  we  returned  home  via  Brussels, 
Liege,  Aix  and  Cologne.  I  have  before  me  now  the 
pleasant  duty  of  thanking  you,  my  dear  friend,  for  the 
many  kindnesses  which  you  have  shown  me  during  my 
visit ;  I  can  never  forget  how  pleasant  and  useful  that  visit 
has  been.  I  have  made  the  acquaintance  of  kind  and 
excellent  men,  and  collected  a  rich  store  of  new  experiences. 
That  my  journey  has  been  so  successful  I  owe  in  a  great 
measure  to  your  friendship.  After  my  return  to  London  I 
spoke  to  Messrs  Taylor  and  Walton  about  your  journey  to 
Giessen ;  they  are  willing  to  provide  the  funds  for  it,  so 
I  am  looking  forward  to  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  here. 


EDUCATION.  51 

I  shall  now  begin  at  once  on  the  preparation  of  our 
'  Agricultural  Chemistry,'  and  should  be  very  glad  to  have 
a  copy  of  the  notes  which  you — more  careful  than  I — have 
collected,  if  it  would  not  be  giving  you  too  much  trouble. 
I  will  write  again  to  Mr  Pusey,  giving  him  my  views  on 
the  condition  of  agriculture,  and  the  aids  to  its  perfection 
which  chemistry  offers.  This  I  will  have  printed,  and  will 
send  you  a  copy.  I  found  awaiting  me  a  diploma  of 
Honorary  Membership  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society. 
I  will  send  our  journal  published  in  Darmstadt  to  Mr 
James  Hudson,  the  Secretary  of  the  Agricultural  Society 
in  London,  and  shall  hope  to  receive  the  English  journal  in 
exchange. 

The  Laboratory  is  very  full  this  winter,  in  fact  it  is 
overcrowded. 

In  May,  1893,  Playfair  delivered  the  Hoffmann  Memorial 
Lecture  before  the  Royal  College  of  Chemistry,  and  in 
doing  so  gave  some  interesting  personal  reminiscences  with 
regard  to  the  great  chemists  with  whom  he  had  been  closely 
associated  in  his  earlier  days.  "In  the  present  century," 
he  said — 

"  I  have  to  begin  with  Dalton,  for  it  was  my  good  fortune  to  know 
him  intimately,  and  I  can  never  forget  his  venerable  figure,  supported 
on  the  arm  of  Dr  Joule,  coming  daily  to  hear  my  lectures  at  Man- 
chester on  the  new  organic  chemistry  which  had  arisen  in  then 
recent  times.  Dalton,  Davy,  Faraday  and  Graham,  indeed,  stand 
out  as  shining  lights  in  our  century.  Davy  and  Faraday  were 
brilliant  investigators,  and  both  of  them  had  a  singular  charm  and 
eloquence  as  lecturers.  To  them  we  owe  largely  the  popularity  of 
chemistry  in  this  country ;  but  none  of  these  chemists,  except 
Graham,  thought  of  opening  their  laboratories  for  the  training  of 
students  in  the  methods  of  research.  That  was  reserved  to  my  own 
master,  the  celebrated  James  Graham.  I  was  a  student  in  his  lab- 
oratory in  Glasgow  in  1835  and  1836,  and  followed  him  to  London  as 
his  private  laboratory  assistant  in  University  College.  At  that  time 
organic  chemistry  was  little  known  or  studied  in  this  country,  and 
all  of  us  who  had  means  to  go  abroad  used  to  flock  either  to  the 
laboratory  of  Liebig  at  Giessen,  or  to  that  of  Wohler  at  Gottingen. 
I  need  not  point  out  that  Baron  Liebig  exerted  an  enormous  in- 
fluence  on   the   progress   of  organic   chemistry,  both  by  his   own 


52  MEMOIRS  OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

discoveries,  and  by  those  of  his  pupils  from  all  countries,  who  were 
trained  to  do  researches  in  his  celebrated  laboratory.  In  1840 
Liebig  published  his  celebrated  work,  '  Chemistry  of  Agriculture  and 
Physiology.'  It  is  difficult  to-day  to  realise  the  effect  that  work  had 
in  promoting  the  study  of  chemistry.  It  greatly  increased  the 
demand  for  laboratory  teaching,  and  even  the  older  universities 
found  it  necessary  to  provide  means  for  laboratory  training.  Two 
years  after  its  publication,  in  1842,  the  illustrious  Baron  Liebig 
made  a  sort  of  triumphal  tour  in  this  country.  He  visited  the  Prime 
Minister,  Sir  Robert  Peel,  at  Drayton  Manor,  and  paid  other  visits 
to  the  great  agriculturists  of  the  day — Lord  Spencer,  Lord  Ducie, 
Lord  Fitzwilliam,  Mr  Pusey  and  many  others,  as  well  as  to  most  of 
the  chief  towns.  At  all  places  meetings  were  held,  and  Liebig,  with 
his  travelling  companion,  the  genial  and  celebrated  geologist,  Dr 
Buckland,  had  opportunities  of  disseminating  his  views  on  the  im- 
portance of  chemistry  to  mankind.  The  tour  was  a  personally 
conducted  one,  like  Cook's  tours  in  the  present  day.  The  conductor 
and  interpreter  of  the  party  in  fact  was  a  young  man  called  Lyon 
Playfair,  who  took  care  that  the  effects  of  the  tour  should  be  felt  in 
all  the  chief  centres  of  Great  Britain.  The  immediate  effect  of 
Liebig's  tour  was  to  make  chemistry  a  popular  science,  and  to 
induce  colleges  to  open  laboratories  for  teaching  it.  The  School  of 
Mines  was  opened  in  Jermyn  Street  with,  for  the  time,  an  excellent 
laboratory,  which  was  always  filled  with  students  ;  still  its  purposes 
were  chiefly  limited  to  the  professional  objects  of  the  college. 
University  College  and  King's  College  gave  much  attention  to  lab- 
oratory teaching.  The  popular  wave  of  1842-43  did  not  soon  expend 
its  force,  and  in  1845  the  Royal  College  of  Chemistry  arose." 


CHAPTER   IV. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY   CONTINUED. — III.   MY   LIFE   IN 
LANCASHIRE. 

1 84 1  to  1844. 

Settled  at  Clitheroe :  Parleying  with  Labour  Rioters :  A  Lesson  in 
Ventilation  :  Lecturing  at  the  Manchester  Royal  Institution  :  Anecdote 
of  Dalton :  An  Offer  from  Faraday :  Sir  Robert  Peel :  An  Inquiry 
into  Charcoal  Iron  Furnaces  :  A  Mishap  to  Bunsen  :  Edwin  Chad- 
wick  and  His  Argument  from  Satan  :  Appointed  a  Member  of  the 
Royal  Commission  on  the  Health  of  Towns :  Researches  into  Agri- 
cultural Chemistry  :  Earl  Spencer  (Lord  Althorp)  :  Dean  Buckland 
Through  England  and  Scotland  :  Mr.  Crosse  and  the  Wood-louse  : 
Appointed  Chemist  to  the  Geological  Survey :  An  Evening  with 
Stephenson :  Recollections  of  Joule :  Impressions  of  Manchester 
Dean  Buckland  and  Sir  H.  de  la  Beche  urge  Peel  to  give  Play  fair  an 
Appointment — Peel's  Esteem  for  Playfair — Letters  from  Liebig. 

In  the  summer  of  1841  I  found  myself  established  in 
Clitheroe  with  my  future  work  to  learn  ;  for,  though  I  had 
some  knowledge  of  chemistry,  I  had  none  in  relation  to 
its  applications  to  calico  printing.  The  works  belonging 
to  Mr  Thomson  at  Primrose,  near  Clitheroe,  were  of  a 
high  class.  He  manufactured  for  the  upper  hundreds,  and 
not  for  the  millions.  I  soon  learned  that  this  was  an 
error ;  for,  as  expensive  prints  and  mousseline  de  laine 
were  going  out  of  fashion,  so  the  demand  for  higher 
products  was  decreasing.  Still,  the  proprietor  of  the 
Primrose  Works  would  not  change  the  character  of  his 
products,  which  were  of  the  highest  excellence.  Mr 
Thomson  was  a  man  of  singular  talent  and  cultivation. 
Had  he  gone  into  Parliament  he  would  have  been  a 
successful   and   distinguished   politician.      His   house   was 


54  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

large  and  luxurious,  and  his  library  excellent.  His  eldest 
son  had  already  distinguished  himself  by  excellent 
mathematical  treatises  ;  but  he  did  not  reside  at  Clitheroe, 
and  had  no  connection  with  the  works.  None  of  the 
children  had  the  talents  of  the  father.  I  did  not  look  for 
much  support  from  them.  Although  they  were  invariably 
kind  and  courteous  to  me,  they  saw  the  mistake  of  their 
father  in  adhering  to  a  declining  trade,  and  thought  the 
new  chemist  would  support  him  in  his  mistaken  views. 
There  were  two  daughters  in  the  family,  one  a  confirmed 
invalid ;  the  other,  who  was  about  ten  years  older  than 
myself,  was  perhaps  the  most  cultured  woman  whom  I 
have  ever  met  in  my  life,  and  to  her  artistic  tastes  and 
cultivated  intellect  I  largely  owe  my  wider  habits  of 
reading,  which  had  hitherto  been  chiefly  restricted  to 
scientific  authors.  She  was  an  excellent  classical  scholar, 
as  well  as  an  accomplished  artist.  When  I  joined  the 
works,  Miss  Thomson  was  engaged  in  translating  a  rare 
Greek  work,  and  illustrating  her  translation  with  exquisite 
etchings.  I  never  heard  of  its  publication.  She  after- 
wards married  Mr  Braun,  the  well-known  antiquarian  ol 
Rome,  and  assisted  him  in  his  researches.  To  me  she  was 
a  delightful  friend,  and  made  my  stay  in  Clitheroe 
instructive  as  well  as  agreeable.  I  was  not  treated  as  an 
employee,  but  as  a  friend  of  the  family,  with  whom  I 
dined  several  times  in  each  week. 

I  had  not  been  in  these  works  above  a  year  when  I  saw 
that  they  were  doomed,  unless  Mr  Thomson  entirely 
changed  the  character  of  his  works,  in  order  to  produce  for 
the  million  instead  of  for  the  few.  But  he  was  inexorable. 
His  products  were  known  all  over  Europe  for  their  high 
excellence,  and  he  could  not  bear  to  lower  their  character 
or  quality.  On  all  other  subjects  my  employer  would 
listen  to  my  advice,  but  he  would  not  permit  me  to  speak 
on  this  subject.  There  were  other  print  works  in  the 
neighbourhood — the  Oakenshaw  works,  superintended  by 
Mr  Mercer,  a  man  who  would  have  been  a  Dalton  or  a 
Faraday  had  he  been  differently  placed.  He  had  been  a 
handloom    weaver,   but    taught    himself    chemistry,   and 


LIFE   IN   LANCASHIRE.  55 

revolutionised  the  calico  printing  of  his  time  by  his 
practical  discoveries.  Already  he  was  an  old  man.  I 
formed  with  him  a  warm  friendship,  and  we  managed  to 
meet  constantly,  either  at  his  own  house  or  at  a  little 
scientific  society  which  we  formed  for  philosophical  talk. 
An  interesting  account  of  Mercer's  life,  by  E.  Parnell,  was 
published  by  Longman  in  1886.  Mercer's  language  was 
powerful,  though  necessarily  provincial.  I  confided  to  my 
friend  my  fears  as  to  the  stability  of  the  Primrose  works 
on  their  system  of  manufacturing  for  a  declining  demand, 
and  he  was  convinced  that  the  system  was  all  wrong. 

In  August,  1842,  the  great  labour  riots  were  passing  over 
Lancashire.  Almost  every  mill  had  been  forcibly  closed 
b)^  the  rioters.  The  only  two  which  remained  open  were 
those  at  Primrose  and  Oakenshaw.  The  Government 
were  anxious  that  they  should  not  succumb  to  the  rioters, 
and  furnished  us  with  a  good  supply  of  muskets  for  our 
defence.  The  workmen  were  drilled,  and  appeared 
willing  to  resist.  We  had  scouts  on  horseback  over  the 
country  to  watch  the  movements  of  the  rioters.  One  of 
these  reported  that  many  thousands  were  marching  upon 
Mercer's  mill,  at  Oakenshaw,  so  I  drove  over  to  join  my 
friend,  and  had  scarcely  reached  his  house  when  the  mob 
appeared  in  irresistible  numbers.  I  offered  to  parley  with 
them  in  the  first  instance,  so  as  to  keep  Mercer,  as  the 
employer  of  labour,  in  the  background.  I  told  the  rioters 
that  though  we  had  shut  the  gates  of  the  mill,  we  knew 
their  force  to  be  irresistible,  and  were  quite  sensible  that 
they  could  stop  the  works.  Instead  of  going  down  in 
crowds,  and  doing  much  mischief  by  their  large  numbers, 
they  might  send  a  deputation  to  remove  the  plugs  from 
the  boilers,  and  thus  secure  the  stoppage  of  the  works 
with  the  least  damage.  They  had  no  objection  to  this 
proposal  if  it  did  not  mean  treachery.  I  offered  myself  as 
a  hostage,  and  walked  into  their  midst,  while  they  sent  a 
few  of  their  number  to  secure  the  stoppage  of  the  works, 
and  this  the}'  did  without  any  permanent  damage. 
During  my  detention  the  leaders  explained  the  nature  of 
their  demands,  many  of  which  were  reasonable,  and  were 


56  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

afterwards  conceded.  After  receiving  a  couple  of 
sovereigns  to  buy  food,  the  rioters  went  away  cheering 
heartily,  and  telling  us  they  intended  to  march  upon  Mr 
Thomson's  works  at  Clitheroe  ;  though,  instead  of  this, 
they  went  to  Blackburn.  At  that  town  the  rioters  were 
met  and  dispersed  by  troops.  The  works  at  Primrose 
were  never  closed,  and  thus  these  famous  labour  riots 
ended. 

Finding  it  hopeless  to  stay  the  fall  of  the  Primrose 
Calico  Printing  Works  as  a  commercial  concern,  I  gave 
six  months'  notice  of  my  intended  resignation,  and  I 
and  my  accomplished  friends  the  Thomsons  parted  with 
mutual  regret  and  goodwill.  I  derived  the  greatest 
advantage  from  my  stay  at  Clitheroe,  for  it  gave  me  the 
manufacturing  experience  which  has  stood  me  in  good 
stead  all  my  life.  As  I  had  foreseen,  the  famous  Primrose 
Works  were  stopped  soon  after  my  departure,  and  on  the 
death  of  Mr  Thomson  the  family  dispersed. 

During  my  stay  at  Clitheroe  I  gave  several  scientific 
lectures  in  Manchester,  and  I  was  there  gratified  by  an 
offer  from  the  "  Royal  Institution  "  of  that  town  to  make 
me  their  "  Honorary  Professor  of  Chemistry."  In  accept- 
ing this  office  I  determined  to  fit  up  a  teaching  laboratory 
in  that  town,  and  the  Institution  offered  me  its  cellars  rent 
free  for  that  purpose.  They  were  large  and  commodious, 
but  were  inefficiently  ventilated,  as  I  soon  learnt  to  my 
cost.  Pupils  came  to  me  in  numbers  greater  than  could 
be  accommodated,  and  I  had  to  secure  the  services  of 
assistants,  one  of  whom  was  Dr  Angus  Smith,  so  well 
known  afterwards  for  his  researches  on  air  and  disinfec- 
tants. I  had  one  afternoon  three  or  four  organic  analyses 
in  operation,  the  tubes  being  heated  with  charcoal.  I  felt 
ill  and  out  of  sorts,  and  went  to  my  lodging.  Soon  after- 
wards a  cab  came  to  take  me  back  to  the  laboratory.  I 
found  to  my  dismay  two  of  the  pupils  lying  insensible  in 
the  area  outside,  and  at  once  saw  they  had  been  poisoned 
by  the  fumes  of  charcoal,  as  indeed  I  also  had  been. 
Recollecting  that  the  guide  at  the  Grotto  del  Cane  uses  his 
dog  continuously  by  dragging  the  insensible  body  out  of 


LIFE   IN   LANCASHIRE.  57 

the  cave,  which  contains  carbonic  acid  in  its  lower  layer, 
and  immersing  it  in  cold  water,  I  instantly  dashed  a  pail 
of  water  over  each  of  my  prostrate  pupils,  and  to  my  joy 
found  that  they  revived.  This  was  a  practical  lesson  in 
ventilation  which  I  never  forgot. 

My  lectures  at  the  Royal  Institution  were  certainly 
popular,  and  attracted  crowded  audiences.  There  were 
many  men  of  sympathetic  tastes  then  living  in  Manches- 
ter, among  whom  was  the  great  philosopher  Dalton,  the 
discoverer  of  the  atomic  theory.  Dalton  was  a  frequent 
visitor  to  my  lectures.  He  was  then  an  old  and  venerable 
man,  with  grey  hair  and  a  face  much  resembling  that  of 
Newton.  He  knew  that  he  was  thought  to  be  like  New- 
ton, and  was  proud  of  the  resemblance.  He  had  his  Bos- 
well  in  a  gentleman  called  Peter  Clare,  a  Quaker,  as  Dalton 
also  was.  Clare  always  gave  his  arm  to  the  old  philo- 
sopher, either  when  he  came  to  my  lectures  or  attended 
the  meetings  of  the  Literary  and  Philosophical  Society. 
Dalton's  mind  was  then  on  the  wane,  and  his  biographer, 
Dr  Henry,  thinks  that  an  incident  which  I  am  about 
to  relate  could  not  have  happened  when  he  was  in  full 
mental  strength.  The  old  and  venerable  philosopher  sent 
for  me  one  day  to  go  to  his  house,  and  told  me  that  he  was 
anxious  to  present  me  with  a  copy  of  all  his  works,  if  I 
would  give  him  a  copy  of  mine.  I  told  him  that  I  would 
value,  as  above  all  price,  a  presentation  copy  of  his  works, 
but  that  mine  were  few  and  not  worth  having  as  an  exchange. 
However,  he  insisted  that  I  should  put  an  appraisement 
on  what  I  had  to  give,  and  hand  over  the  difference  in 
money,  which  I  think  amounted  to  a  little  over  twenty 
shillings.  I  gladly  paid  this  amount,  and  now  possess  the 
works  of  the  greatest  of  English  chemists,  with  a  record 
in  each  volume  that  they  had  been  presented  to  me  as  his 
friend.  I  thought  at  the  time  that  this  was  an  example 
of  his  simplicity  as  a  Quaker,  but  I  am  now  inclined  to 
agree  with  Dr  Henry  that  it  was  an  eccentricity  of  his 
failing  health.  For  soon  after  this  we  had  our  annual 
meeting  of  the  Philosophical  Society  to  elect  our  President, 
who  of  course  was  always  Dr  Dalton.     On  previous  occa- 


58  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

sions  the  ballot  had  invariably  one  vote  against  him,  and 
it  was  well  known  that  this  dissentient  vote  was  that  of 
the  philosopher  himself,  who  used  to  vote  that  his  friend 
Peter  Clare  should  be  President.  At  the  last  annual 
meeting  before  his  death,  the  dissentient  vote  was  as  usual 
found  in  the  urn,  but,  to  our  amazement,  we  found  that 
Dr  Dalton  had  voted  for  the  doorkeeper  !  When  Dalton 
died,  on  the  27th  July,  1844,  Manchester  gave  him  the 
honours  of  a  king.  His  body  lay  in  state,  and  his  funeral 
was  like  that  of  a  monarch. 

It  is  well  known  that  Dalton  was  colour-blind,  and  he 
was  the  first  person  to  investigate  this  defect  of  vision. 
He  always  ascribed  it  to  a  peculiarity  of  structure 
in  the  retina.  When  he  died  his  medical  man,  Mr 
Ransome,  took  out  one  of  his  eyes  and  brought  it  to 
my  laboratory.  I  took  two  powders,  chrome  green  and 
scarlet  potassic  bichromate,  as  being  the  colours  which  he 
could  not  distinguish,  but  we  saw  them  of  the  natural 
colours  when  Dalton's  eye  intervened.  Ransome,  who 
was  a  most  accomplished  physician  and  a  great  friend  of 
Dalton,  assured  me  that  the  philosopher,  when  alive, 
would  have  approved  of  this  experiment  being  made  at 
his  death. 

In  1842  Faraday  was  in  the  zenith  of  his  glory  as  a 
discoverer.  I  do  not  think  at  this  time  I  had  ever 
seen  this  illustrious  philosopher.  I  was  therefore  much 
gratified  at  receiving  from  him  a  letter,  which,  as  it  proved 
the  turning-point  of  my  life,  I  here  insert. 

Royal  Institution. 
Michael  Faraday  to  Play  fair.  October  10th,  1842. 

My  dear  Sir, — Will  you  allow  me  to  hope  I  shall  not 
give  you  offence  if  I  ask  whether  the  following  offer  would 
be  worth  your  consideration  —  the  Professorship  of 
Chemistry  in  the  University  of  King's  College,  at  Toronto, 
in  Upper  Canada?  The  remuneration  would  be  about  ^450 
per  annum,  with  a  house  and  garden  and  the  usual  college 
advantages.  The  Professor  would  be  on  the  Council  of 
the  University,  of  which  the  Bishop  is  President.      He 


LIFE   IN   LANCASHIRE.  59 

must  reside  at  Toronto.  There  would  be  a  sum  of  money 
allowed  by  the  Council  for  laboratory  outfit,  etc.  Now  I 
am  called  upon  to  advise  in  the  matter,  and  if  you  are 
inclined  to  consider  the  offer  seriously,  and  are  able  to  go 
out,  I  would  put  you  in  communication  at  once  with  His 
Excellency  the  Governor.  If  not,  have  the  goodness  to 
drop  me  a  line  here.  Graham  mentioned  your  name  to  me ; 
and  believe  that  in  writing  to  you,  though  the  offer  may 
be  unworthy  your  attention,  still  I  meant,  as  far  as  I  am 
empowered  to  make  it,  to  testify  my  respect  for  you  and 
your  attainments. 

Ever  dear  Sir, 

Very  faithfully  yours, 

Dr  Playfair.  M.  Faraday. 

The  offer  was  very  tempting,  as  I  was  a  professor  in 
Manchester  without  a  salary  and  had  considerable  difficulty 
to  make  both  ends  meet.  I  therefore  went  up  to  London, 
saw  Faraday,  and  intimated  my  intention  to  accept  the 
proposal.  On  describing  my  appointment  to  my  various 
scientific  friends  in  London  I  found  that,  instead  of  con- 
gratulating me,  they  censured  me  for  want  of  faith  in  an 
English  career.  A  few  days  after,  to  my  great  surprise,  I 
received  an  invitation  from  the  great  Sir  Robert  Peel,  then 
Prime  Minister,  to  visit  him  at  Drayton  Manor.  As  I  had 
not  then  the  honour  of  his  acquaintance,  I  was  inclined  to 
believe  that  some  one  was  playing  a  practical  joke  upon 
my  vanity.  The  letter  had  undoubtedly  the  post  office 
stamp  of  "Tarn worth,"  and  the  seal  was  that  of  Sir  Robert 
Peel.  So  I  took  the  letter  for  identification  to  Dr  Buckland, 
and  found  not  only  that  it  was  genuine  but  that  he  also 
was  invited  for  the  same  date.  Why  the  great  statesman 
should  care  to  see  a  young  man  like  myself  was  to  me  an 
insoluble  mystery,  but  I  accepted  the  invitation  with  much 
pleasure. 

At  Drayton  Manor  I  found  Lord  Lincoln  (afterwards 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle),  Dr  Buckland,  Smith  of  Deanston, 
then  the  great  authority  on  deep  drainage  for  farms,  Mr 
Pusey,  the  editor  of  the '  Agricultural  Societies  Journal,'  and 


60  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

several  other  people.  On  the  18th  October,  the  day  pre- 
ceding my  departure,  Sir  Robert  Peel  asked  me  whether  I 
felt  surprise  at  his  invitation  to  Drayton  Manor.  I  assured 
him  that  my  surprise  was  only  equalled  by  my  gratifica- 
tion. He  then  stated  that  he  wished  to  know  me  person- 
ally because  several  men  of  science  had  written  to  him 
expressing  their  regret  that  I  had  accepted  a  colonial 
professorship,  and  he  coincided  with  them  in  this  regret 
now  that  he  knew  me.  I  bowed  to  the  great  Prime 
Minister  and  thanked  him  for  taking  an  interest  in  my 
personal  affairs.  I  was  at  once  censured  by  being  informed 
that  it  was  his  interest  in  public  affairs,  and  not  in  my 
personal  affairs,  which  moved  him  to  take  action.  This 
was  puzzling,  and  I  waited  for  the  development  of  the 
interview.  Sir  Robert  Peel  then  suggested  that  when  a 
Prime  Minister  and  other  powerful  friends  desired  me  to 
remain  in  this  country,  I  might  have  confidence  in  my 
future  career  in  England,  and  might  resign  the  colonial 
professorship.  He  then  tendered  me  a  memorandum  to 
the  effect  that  if  I  would  abandon  the  idea  of  going  to  the 
colonies  he  would  make  it  his  duty  to  obtain  for  me 
employment  if  any  vacancy  occurred  which  he  might 
think  suitable  to  my  abilities.  At  the  same  time  he  said 
that  this  was  the  first  time  in  his  long  career  that  he  had 
ever  made  an  implied  promise  of  this  kind.  I  expressed 
my  deep  sense  of  the  honour  which  he  conferred  by  his 
good  opinion,  but  I  positively  declined  to  accept  the 
memorandum,  because  his  personal  appreciation  of  my 
capacity  to  be  useful  in  this  country  was  all  that  I  could 
desire.  This  refusal  gratified  the  Prime  Minister.  He 
said  he  would  not  destroy  the  memorandum  but  would 
give  it  to  Dr  Buckland  to  keep,  as  I  declined  to  receive  it. 
After  Buckland's  death  his  son,  Frank  Buckland,  searched 
for  this  memorandum  and  gave  it  to  me,  with  various 
letters  relating  to  it. 

Sir  Robert  Peel  never  forgot  me  after  this  visit,  and  I 
may  say  with  pride  that  he  continued  to  treat  me  as  a 
friend,  notwithstanding  the  disparity  of  our  ages.  The 
impression  which  he  made  upon  me  is  very  different  from 


LIFE   IN  LANCASHIRE.  6 1 

that  which  is  generally  entertained  of  the  great  Prime 
Minister.  Usually,  he  is  represented  as  stately,  reserved 
and  unbending.  I  always  found  him  dignified,  frank, 
courteous,  and  full  of  kindness.  It  is  true  that  even  in  his 
own  house  he  was  the  statesman,  absorbed  in  his  work 
during  the  hours  which  he  devoted  to  it.  But  when  these 
were  over  he  was  the  most  genial  of  hosts  and  the  most 
delightful  of  companions.  His  fund  of  anecdote  was 
inexhaustible,  and  his  retentive  memory  brought  it  to  bear 
in  all  conversations.  After  my  first  visit  I  often  went  to 
Drayton  Manor,  and  not  infrequently  visited  at  Whitehall 
Place.  In  the  last  years  of  his  life  he  encouraged  my 
visits  to  him  there,  and  told  me  never  to  accept  an  intima- 
tion at  the  door  of  "  not  at  home  "  without  sending  up  my 
card.  I  had  been  with  him  nearly  an  hour  on  that  fatal 
morning,  the  29th  June,  1850,  when  he  was  thrown  from 
his  horse. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  after  the  conversation  which  I 
have  recounted  as  to  the  Toronto  chair,  I  withdrew  my 
acceptance  and  resumed  my  duties  in  Manchester.  The 
British  Association  had  voted  a  grant  of  money  to  inquire 
into  the  chemical  operation  of  blast  furnaces  for  the 
manufacture  of  iron.  Professor  Bunsen,  of  Heidelberg, 
had  already  made  an  important  research  into  charcoal  iron 
furnaces,  but  as  it  was  obvious  that  coal  and  coke  furnaces, 
both  in  hot  and  cold  blasts,  would  give  different  results,  an 
exhaustive  inquiry  in  England  became  necessary.  The 
British  Association  therefore  invited  Professor  Bunsen  to 
undertake  such  an  inquiry  in  this  country  in  conjunction 
with  me.  After  corresponding  with  various  iron  manufac- 
turers I  found  that  Mr  Oakes,  of  Riddings,  near  Alfreton,  in 
Derbyshire,  was  the  person  most  likely  to  give  us  ample 
facilities  for  the  research.  Bunsen ]  at  that  time  was  well 
known  as  a  chemist,  and  now  is  the  most  distinguished 
chemist  in  Germany.  His  researches  along  with  Kerchoff 
established  spectrum-analysis,  and  his  modes  of  gas- 
analysis  have  been  universally  adopted.  He  came  on  a 
visit  to  me  in  Manchester  in  1844,  and  we  arranged  the 

1  Professor  Bunsen  died  August,  1899. 


62  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

method  of  investigation,  and  made  the  necessary  pre- 
liminary preparations.  We  went  by  coach  to  a  small 
town  called  Ripley  to  spend  the  night  before  arriving  at 
Riddings.  The  coach  carried  away  our  two  hats,  which 
we  never  saw  again.  Next  morning  we  went  to  various 
shops  in  Ripley  to  obtain  new  hats,  but  we  were  told  that 
we  had  not  got  "  Ripley  heads,"  and  certainly  we  found 
none  large  enough  ;  but  we  ultimately  got  disgraceful- 
looking  wide-awakes,  which  made  us,  with  our  two  German 
blouses,  look  like  tramps  rather  than  professors.  How- 
ever, we  were  cordially  received  and  entertained  at 
Riddings  House,  the  seat  of  Mr  Oakes.  It  was  to  be  a 
familiar  place  to  me  for  the  rest  of  my  life,  because  two 
years  later  I  married  the  youngest  daughter  of  our  host. 

The  investigation  which  we  had  undertaken  was 
peculiarly  difficult.  The  iron  furnaces  were  about  fifty  feet 
deep,  and  from  the  top  there  belched  a  huge  flame  which 
lit  up  the  sky  at  night.  Our  object  was  to  ascertain  what 
changes  took  place  in  the  fuel,  limestone  and  iron  ore,  at 
every  foot,  from  the  top  where  they  were  introduced  until 
they  reached  the  hearth  where  molten  iron  and  slag  ran 
out  when  the  furnace  was  tapped.  We  erected  a  support 
at  the  top  for  malleable  iron  pipes  which  were  to  sink 
into  the  furnace  with  the  materials.  These  pipes  being 
connected,  I  had  their  length  marked  every  foot  with 
white  paint,  so  that  it  was  apparent  from  what  part  of  the 
furnace  the  gases  were  streaming.  These  gases  were 
collected  in  glass  collecting  tubes,  which  were  hermetically 
sealed  by  a  lamp  and  duly  labelled.  This  did  very  well, 
and  answered  our  expectations,  until  the  iron  pipes 
descended  to  the  hottest  part  of  the  furnace,  where  the 
air  enters  by  the  blast,  and  there  they  melted  and  we  had 
new  devices  to  make.  Mr  Oakes,  the  proprietor,  was  not 
to  be  defeated,  and  by  separate  gangs  of  men  and  great 
labour,  he  tapped  the  sides  of  the  furnace  so  as  to  let  us 
draw  off  the  gases  by  the  insertion  of  lateral  tubes.  Bunsen 
was  engaged  below  and  I  was  occupied  above  passing  the 
gases  through  water  to  collect  any  soluble  products,  when 
I  was  alarmed  by  being  told  that  my  friend  had  become 


LIFE   IN   LANCASHIRE.  63 

suddenly  ill.  I  ran  down  and  saw  white  fumes  coming  out 
of  a  lateral  tube,  and  Bunsen  apparently  recovering  from  a 
fainting  condition.  I  applied  my  nose  to  the  orifice,  and 
smelt  the  vapours  or  cyanide  of  potassium,  which  gave  an 
entirely  new  light  to  the  processes  of  the  furnace,  because 
this  poisonous  substance  is  an  excellent  reducer  of  metals. 
The  results  of  this  investigation  were  important,  and  have 
since  led  to  the  introduction  of  great  improvements  into 
the  staple  industry  of  this  country,  although  probably  the 
suggestors  of  them  have  long  been  forgotten  by  the  iron 
trade.  The  report  of  the  research  published  in  the  annual 
volume  of  the  British  Association  for  1845  may  still  be 
consulted  with  advantage.  It  established  the  startling  fact 
that  in  iron  furnaces  worked  with  coal  8 1  \  per  cent,  of  the 
valuable  fuel  escaped  from  the  mouth  of  the  furnace  and 
was  wasted  In  this  particular  furnace  fourteen  tons  of  coals 
were  daily  used,  and  of  these  eleven  and  a  quarter  tons 
escaped  in  the  form  of  gases  still  capable  of  being  used  as 
excellent  fuel.  We  described  how  this  might  be  led  away 
and  utilised  for  the  various  purposes  of  the  works.  In 
about  six  years  after  the  date  of  our  report,  this  economy 
began  to  be  practised  in  various  works,  and  is  now  all  but 
universal. 

We  also  showed  that  as  all  the  upper  part  of  the  furnace 
was  "  a  region  of  distillation  and  not  of  combustion,"  a 
valuable  amount  of  ammonia  might  be  collected  from  the 
gases  by  condensing  it  with  acids.  No  less  than  two  cwt. 
of  sal  ammoniac  (ammonium  chloride)  could  be  obtained 
daily  from  a  furnace  of  this  kind.  It  has  taken  forty  years 
for  the  iron  manufacturers  to  carry  out  this  recommenda- 
tion, but  they  are  now  doing  it. 

To  scientific  men,  as  well  as  to  iron  smelters,  the  most 
interesting  part  of  the  inquiry  was  the  anatomy  of  the 
furnace.  By  the  simple  expedients  adopted  it  was  shown 
to  be  possible  to  dissect  a  fiery  furnace  so  as  to  show  the 
operations  in  progress  at  its  various  parts  with  the  same 
accuracy  as  if  it  had  been  a  small  object  on  the  table  of  a 
laboratory. 

In  1843  I  received  a  letter  from  Sir  Robert  Peel  stating 


64  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON    PLAYFAIR. 

that  a  Royal  Commission  was  about  to  be  issued  to  inquire 
into  the  state  of  large  towns  and  populous  districts,  and 
offering  me  a  seat  upon  it.  The  president  was  to  be  the 
Duke  of  Buccleuch,  and  among  its  members  he  mentioned 
Lord  Lincoln  (afterwards  Duke  of  Newcastle),  Sir  H.  de 
la  Beche,  Prof.  Richard  Owen,  Stephenson,  the  engineer, 
Cubitt,  the  well-known  builder,  and  Smith  of  Deanston. 
I  accepted  the  nomination,  which  was  at  the  time  criticised 
on  ac  ~>unt  of  my  youth ;  but  it  was  soon  justified  in  the 
eyes  of  the  public,  as  I  took  the  most  active  part  in  the 
inquiry.  As,  to  this  day,  the  reports  of  that  Commission 
are  consulted  as  the  chief  authority  on  questions  of  sanitary 
legislation,  it  may  be  useful  to  explain  why  it  was  formed. 
A  veteran  sanitary  reformer,  Edwin  Chadwick,  had  issued, 
in  his  capacity  as  secretary  of  the  Poor  Law  Commission, 
a  remarkable  report  on  '  The  Sanitary  Condition  of  the 
People.'  Chadwick's  revelations  were  so  startling  that  a 
Royal  Commission  to  ascertain  their  truth  was  deemed  to 
be  necessary.  It  was  not  thought  expedient  that  Chadwick 
should  be  a  member  of  the  Commission,  which  was  to 
inquire  into  his  statements,  but  he  was  present  at  our 
meetings  and  gave  us  the  benefit  of  his  experience. 

Chadwick  was  a  remarkable  man,  and  is  the  father 
of  modern  sanitary  reform.  He  had  the  faculty  of 
seizing  upon  an  abuse  with  the  tenacity  of  a  bull- 
dog, and  never  let  it  go  till  the  abuse  was  worried  to 
death.  But  this  self-absorption  in  a  subject  carried  him 
into  extremes,  and  he  failed  to  see  both  sides  of  a 
question.  Thus,  seeing  the  evils  which  had  arisen  in  local 
self-government,  he  could  not  recognise  its  benefits,  and 
magnified  the  power  and  capabilities  of  centralised  govern- 
ment. I  recollect,  on  one  occasion,  trying  to  argue  with 
him  as  to  the  need  of  throwing  greater  responsibilities  on 
localities,  and  lessening  the  functions  of  central  government 
so  as  to  make  them  supervisory  rather  than  administrative. 
My  arguments  were  met  with  this  stern  rejoinder — "  Sir, 
the  Devil  was  expelled  from  heaven  because  he  objected  to 
centralisation,  and  ail  those  who  object  to  centralisation 
oppose  it  on  devilish  grounds  !  "     Edwin  Chadwick  and  I, 


LIFE   IN   LANCASHIRE.  65 

however,  became  firm  friends,  and  I  gladly  recognise  him 
as  the  great  sanitary  reformer  of  the  age.  He  afterwards 
became  the  active  administrator  of  the  Board  of  Health, 
which  did  excellent  work,  though  it  ultimately  perished 
because  it  could  not  adapt  itself  to  local  organisation. 
Edwin  Chadwick,  Rowland  Hill  of  the  penny  postage, 
John  Stuart  Mill,  Dr  Neil  Arnott,  and  a  few  other  congenial 
spirits,  of  whom  I  was  one,  formed  a  small  society  called 
"  Friends  in  Council,"  who  dined  at  each  other's  houses  to 
discuss  questions  of  political  economy  during  the  progress 
of  this  Royal  Commission. 

To  return,  however,  to  the  Royal  Commission.  I  asked 
for  and  obtained  the  large  towns  in  Lancashire  as  the  field 
for  my  work,  both  because  they  were  the  most  densely 
populated,  and  as  I  could  best  work  the  inquiry  with  my 
chemical  duties  in  Manchester.  I  secured  the  aid  of  Dr 
Angus  Smith  as  an  assistant  commissioner,  and  a  very  able 
one  he  proved  to  be. 

My  Report  on  the  state  of  large  towns  in  Lancashire  is 
a  proof  how  earnestly  I  entered  into  the  inquiry.  The 
effects  of  bad  sewerage,  defective  or  intermittent  instead  of 
constant  water  supply,  overcrowded  tenements,  bad  con- 
struction of  streets,  and  the  abuse  of  opiates  among  the 
working-classes,  were  traced  to  their  sources.  In  1844 
the  sanitary  condition  of  the  kingdom  was  deplorable. 
Lancashire,  which  was  allotted  to  me,  as  a  Royal 
Commissioner,  was  especially  bad.  One-tenth  of  the 
population  of  Manchester  and  one-seventh  of  that  ot 
Liverpool  lived  in  cellars.  In  the  streets  occupied  by 
the  working-classes  two  rows  of  houses  were  often  built 
back  to  back,  so  that  there  could  be  no  efficient  ventilation ; 
the  supply  of  conveniences  was  altogether  insufficient,  and 
their  condition  and  drainage  were  shocking.  The  water 
supply  of  all  the  towns  was  on  the  intermittent  system,  and 
both  the  supply  and  the  quality  of  water  were  defective. 
Civic  powers  were  split  up  into  a  number  of  discordant 
and  often  conflicting  authorities,  constantly  overlapping 
each  other  in  their  duties.  Darkness  and  dirt  was  the 
heritage  left  by  the  Window  Tax,  which  had  recently  been 


66  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

abolished.  The  mortality  was  great,  and  the  average  age 
at  death  was  low  in  manufacturing  towns.  Thus,  if  we 
take  Kendal  as  representing  a  healthy  agricultural  town, 
and  compare  the  average  of  death  in  the  Lancashire  towns 
at  the  date  of  my  inquiry,  the  difference  becomes  apparent. 

Average  Age  at  Death  in  1844. 

Kendal 36  years. 

Liverpool 20 

Manchester 22 

Ashton 16 

Preston 19 

Rochdale 21 

The  death  rate  of  all  England  was  then  22*07  iR  i>ooo 
living;  in  the  last  decade  it  was  19*62.  The  diseases,  such  as 
fever,  arising  from  filth — the  zymotic  diseases — were  4*52 
per  1,000  in  1841-50,  while  in  1880-84  they  had  been 
reduced  to  2*71  per  1,000.  The  saving  of  life  in  the 
population,  contrasted  with  the  first  decade,  is  about 
102,000  persons  annually. 

I  think  that  the  Royal  Commission  may  fairly  be 
credited  with  having  made  a  thorough  exposition  of  the 
defects  of  sanitary  appliances  in  town,  and  with  having 
laid  the  basis  of  that  progressive  legislation  in  public  health 
which  has  produced  such  a  marvellous  economy  of  public 
life  in  this  country.  The  construction  of  streets  and  houses 
is  now  largely  improved.  Overcrowded  and  cellar  dwellings 
are  prohibited.  The  common  lodging  houses  are  con- 
trolled, and  an  efficient  and  generally  pure  water  supply  is 
brought  into  the  houses  of  all  towns.  Infantile  mortality, 
which  was  so  excessive  in  1844  that  more  than  one-half  of 
all  the  children  born  in  the  large  manufacturing  towns 
perished  before  they  reached  five  years  of  age,  is  now 
enormously  reduced.  Intemperance,  which  was  largely 
caused  by  depressing  conditions  in  home  life  and  by  over- 
crowding, has  been  greatly  lessened  owing  to  the  improve- 
ment of  the  physical  and  moral  conditions  of  life. 

While  residing  in  Manchester  (1844)  the  important 
chair  of  Chemistry  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh 
became  vacant  by  the  death  of  Professor  Hope.     Though 


LIFE   IN   LANCASHIRE.  67 

I  was  too  young  a  man  to  aspire  to  such  a  valuable  chair, 
I  was  encouraged  to  become  a  candidate  by  some  of  the 
leading  professors  of  that  University.  There  were  several 
candidates,  but  ultimately  the  contest  lay  between  Professor 
Gregory  and  myself.  At  that  time  the  patrons  of  the 
chair  were  the  Town  Council  of  Edinburgh,  a  singular  body 
for  academic  patronage,  although  they  generally  exercised 
it  with  good  judgment.  After  a  hard  contest,  and  a  good 
deal  of  bitterness  between  our  supporters,  my  friend 
Professor  Gregory  was  appointed  by  a  small  majority,  and 
I  returned  to  my  duties  in  Manchester. 

At  this  time  I  published  a  careful  paper  in  an  obscure 
journal  in  Edinburgh  (the  '  Northern  Journal  of  Medicine '). 
This  paper  has  been  little  noticed,  as  the  journal  died  after 
a  few  numbers  had  appeared,  but  I  still  think  it  deals  with 
its  subject  in  a  comprehensive  way.  The  title  of  the  paper 
was  '  On  Sleep,  and  some  of  its  concomitant  phenomena.' 
The  cause  of  sleep  was  shown  to  be  diminished  oxidation 
of  brain  substance.  The  conditions  which  lead  to  this 
lessened  oxidation  were  fully  described,  and  the  relations 
of  wakefulness,  dreaming,  etc.,  were  discussed.  The 
following  quotation  from  the  paper  will  show  its  scope  :— 

"  If  we  now  admit  the  cause  of  sleep  to  be  a  diminished  supply  of 
oxygen  to  the  brain,  we  must  admit  certain  forms  of  disease,  such 
as  congestive  apoplexy,  syncope,  perhaps  even  catalepsy,  to  be  due 
to  the  increased  operation  of  the  same  cause,  not  directly  but  in- 
directly— a  circumstance  attested  by  the  diminished  temperature  of 
the  body  in  this  class  of  diseases.  If,  then,  we  know  the  effects  to 
be  due  to  a  want  of  oxygenation  of  brain  substance,  we  are  in  a 
position  more  completely  to  regulate  our  practice  in  the  treatment 
of  such  diseases." 

This  paper  is  republished  in  a  collection  of  my  popular 
essays,  '  Subjects  of  Social  Welfare.' 

Whilst  the  inquiry  into  the  sanitary  condition  of 
England  was  in  progress,  I  still  pursued  my  chemical 
work  in  Manchester,  and  published  various  papers  on 
agricultural  chemistry.  Two  lectures  '  On  the  Applica- 
tion of  Chemistry  to  the  Feeding  of  Cattle'  were  given 
to  a  meeting  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society,  and  were 


68  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

published  in  its  Journal.  These  lectures  were  successful, 
and  made  me  various  influential  friends.  The  then  Earl 
of  Ducie  was  a  leading  agriculturist,  and  became  much 
interested  in  my  inquiries.  I  frequently  visited  him  at 
Tortworth  Court,  in  Gloucestershire,  and  when  in  London 
I  usually  dined  with  him  on  Sundays.  Another  agricul- 
turist, still  more  famous,  treated  me  with  kindness.  This 
was  the  Earl  Spencer,  better  known  as  the  famous  Lord 
Althorp,  long  Leader  of  the  House  of  Commons.  When 
I  knew  him  he  had  retired  from  politics,  and  devoted 
himself  to  the  breeding  of  cattle.  I  frequently  paid  him 
visits  at  Althorp,  and  enjoyed  its  magnificent  library. 

I  recollect  on  one  occasion  being  considerably  startled 
by  a  midnight  visitor  while  I  was  engaged  in  reading  some 
valuable  books  which  I  had  taken  to  my  bedroom.  I  sat 
up  late,  long  after  the  other  inmates  had  gone  to  bed. 
Suddenly  the  door  opened,  and  a  stout  man  with  a  dark 
lantern  and  a  big  cudgel  appeared  in  my  room.  Naturally 
I  thought  he  was  a  burglar,  and  looked  round  for  a 
weapon  of  defence.  I  was  soon  relieved  by  being  in- 
formed that  he  was  the  night  watchman,  who  had  instruc- 
tions to  go  into  any  room  where  a  light  was  seen  burning 
after  midnight.  Lord  Spencer  was  a  charming  old  man 
when  I  knew  him,  looking  much  more  like  a  farmer  than 
an  eminent  statesman.  The  anecdotes  of  his  past  Parlia- 
mentary life  were  amusing.  He  had  never  been  an  orator, 
but  his  integrity  of  character  gave  him  wonderful  influence 
in  the  House  of  Commons.  Agriculture  now  absorbed 
all  his  attention.  He  kept  careful  records  of  his  cattle- 
breeding,  and  obtained  curious  results  by  his  careful 
entries.  He  believed  that  the  length  of  time  between 
impregnation  and  birth  depended  more  on  the  bull  than 
the  cow.  He  had  one  bull  which  always  delayed 
gestation  from  three  to  four  days  beyond  the  average. 

Even  Sir  Robert  Peel,  who  had  all  the  cares  of  the  State 
on  his  shoulders,  was  bitten  by  this  agricultural  revival. 
On  one  occasion  he  invited  his  tenants  and  neighbours  to 
meet  at  breakfast  to  listen  to  speeches  from  his  scientific 
friends.      Smith   of  Deanston   addressed   them   on    deep 


LIFE   IN   LANCASHIRE.  69 

drainage,  Buckland  on  agriculture,  and  I  spoke  on  agri- 
cultural chemistry.  I  think  that  it  was  on  this  visit  to 
Drayton  Manor  in  1845  that  the  Deanery  of  Westminster 
became  vacant.  Buckland  came  into  my  room  while  I 
was  dressing  for  dinner,  and  was  anxious  for  my  advice 
as  to  whether  he  should  accept  it  if  the  Prime  Minister 
offered  it  to  him.  He  was  doubtful  whether  his  devotion 
to  science  might  not  unfit  him  for  this  important  office. 
I  did  my  best  to  remove  his  doubts  by  stating  that  the 
office  was  not  parochial  but  chiefly  administrative.  After 
dinner  that  evening  Sir  Robert  Peel  offered  him  the 
vacant  deanery,  which  was  accepted.  Buckland  was  a 
remarkable  man,  full  of  eccentricity  ;  he  generally  carried 
with  him  some  curious  small  animals,  such  as  green  frogs 
or  lizards.  On  this  visit  his  pet  was  a  chameleon,  which 
used  to  catch  flies  on  the  window  panes,  to  the  amuse- 
ment of  the  ladies.  At  the  Deanery  I  have  dined  with 
him  when  a  monkey,  seated  on  the  gas-bracket,  used  to 
stretch  himself  down  and  grab  a  dainty  morsel  from  the 
plate  of  a  guest  just  as  he  was  about  to  transfer  it  to 
his  mouth.  Dean  Buckland  was  especially  fond  of  ex- 
perimenting upon  new  viands :  one  could  not  be  sure 
that  a  particular  dish  at  his  table  might  not  be  a  hedge- 
hog, a  bit  of  crocodile,  or  even  a  slice  of  rhinoceros.  His 
son,  Frank  Buckland,  possessed  this  love  of  experiment 
and  passion  for  animals  in  after  years.  The  Dean  was 
so  active  in  mind  that  he  loved  all  branches  of  scientific 
knowledge,  though  geology  was  the  science  in  which  he 
excelled  and  which  he  enriched  by  his  discoveries.  He 
was  to  me  always  a  warm  friend  and  delightful  com- 
panion, and  I  mourned  deeply  when  the  dark  cloud 
obscured  his  bright  mind  and  obliged  him  to  withdraw 
from  the  society  that  he  both  loved  and  adorned. 

In  1844  I  made  a  pleasant  excursion  throughout 
England  and  Scotland  with  several  delightful  companions. 
Baron  Liebig  offered  to  pay  me  a  visit  if  I  could  arrange 
afterwards  to  travel  with  him.  Buckland  and  Professor 
Daubeny  of  Oxford  joined  our  party.  We  began  our 
excursion  by  going  to  see  the  coprolite   beds.     Buckland 


JO  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

had  proved  that  the  coprolites  were  really  the  ancient 
excrement  of  saurians  and  other  extinct  animals,  but  they 
had  not  been  analysed.  Liebig  at  once  suggested  that 
if  this  were  true  they  ought  to  contain  phosphate  of  lime 
or  bone  earth,  and  I  sent  some  specimens  to  my  labora- 
tory at  Manchester,  where  they  were  found  to  contain 
abundance  of  this  valuable  manure.  Liebig' s  delight  was 
unbounded,  for  he  saw  that  the  exhausted  fields  of 
England  might  be  restored  by  the  use  of  these  ancient 
remains.  This  was  the  beginning  of  that  great  industry 
which  continues  to  the  present  day. 

On  this  trip  we  visited  various  celebrated  farms. 
Among  these  I  was  anxious  that  Liebig  should  see  Lord 
Ducie's  famous  model  farm  in  Gloucestershire.  Accord- 
ingty,  I  wrote  to  his  lordship  and  offered  a  visit,  though 
our  party  was  large.  We  found  that  Lord  Ducie  was  in 
Scotland,  but  he  at  once  placed  Tortworth  Court  at  our 
disposal,  and  asked  me  to  fill  his  place  as  host.  We 
passed  several  days  at  this  hospitable  mansion,  and  Liebig 
was  much  struck  with  this  visit  as  a  proof  of  the  kindly 
interest  taken  in  him  by  the  English.  We  then  went  to 
stay  with  Mr  Crosse  in  Somersetshire.  At  that  time  he 
had  much  celebrity,  for  he  asserted  that  animal  life  could 
be  formed  by  passing  slow  currents  of  electricity  through 
mineral  matter,  and  many  persons  believed  that  he  had 
experimentally  established  this  vastly  important  fact. 
Mr  Crosse  lived  in  a  world  of  his  own  making.  He  had 
a  large  electrical  laboratory,  into  which  electricity  was 
conducted  during  storms  by  wires  from  the  high  trees  ol 
his  park,  and  concentrated  in  Ley  den  jars  and  a  prime 
conductor,  upon  which  as  a  warning  was  printed,  "  Noli 
?ne  tangere!'  The  servants  had  been  warned  not  to  touch 
this  ;  but  a  new  housemaid  thought  she  understood  the 
words  to  mean  "  No  danger  to  me,"  and,  in  dusting  it,  was 
nearly  killed.  At  one  end  of  this  electrical  laboratory 
was  an  organ,  which  was  played  in  accompaniment  to  the 
storms  !  We  soon  found  that  Crosse  was  an  enthusiast, 
though  at  the  same  time  a  man  of  admirable  simplicity 
and  honesty  of  character.      In  speaking,  his  eyes  were 


LIFE   IN   LANCASHIRE.  7 1 

raised  as  if  addressing  space,  and  he  conveyed  the 
impression  of  a  truthful  and  unworldly  mind.  We  asked 
to  see  the  experimental  development  of  animals  out  of 
mineral  matter.  He  conducted  us  to  a  room  very  unlike 
his  laboratory.  No  servant  was  allowed  to  enter  it,  so 
it  was  in  a  dusty,  untidy  condition.  Slow  currents  of 
electricity  were  passing  through  solutions  of  soluble 
silicates,  but  we  looked  in  vain  for  any  sign  of  life. 
Crosse  then  began  to  examine  the  table  around  the 
solutions,  and  produced  a  living  animal  from  under  one  of 
the  jars.  This  he  declared  to  be  an  electrical  production, 
while  I  unhesitatingly,  and,  I  fear,  irreverently,  pronounced 
it  to  be  a  woodlouse  living  in  the  decaying  wood  of  the 
table  !  Our  faith  in  these  celebrated  experiments,  which 
then  agitated  all  England,  was  thus  rudely  shaken,  though 
not  our  faith  in  the  truthfulness  of  the  man,  who  was  too 
much  of  an  enthusiast  to  be  an  accurate  experimentalist. 

Another  visit  interested  Baron  Liebig.  This  was  to 
Wentworth,  the  seat  of  Lord  Fitzwilliam.  The  magnitude 
of  this  residence  was  startling  to  a  German  philosopher, 
especially  when  he  was  handed  as  a  joke  a  small  box  of 
wafers,  with  a  suggestion  that  he  should  drop  them  on  his 
way  to  his  room  to  assist  him  in  finding  his  way  back. 
During  our  stay  at  Wentworth  there  was  a  large  evening 
meeting  held  at  Leeds,  to  give  its  inhabitants  an  oppor- 
tunity of  listening  to  the  addresses  of  the  philosophers 
staying  at  the  castle.  Lord  Fitzwilliam  took  us  to  Leeds 
in  state  with  his  yellow  liveries,  the  carriages  having  four 
horses  and  outriders.  On  entering  Leeds,  large  four-poster 
bills,  like  those  for  Wombwell's  Menageries,  attracted  our 
attention  ;  and  upon  these  we  found  our  names  in  large 
capitals,  as  if  we  were  animals  in  a  show.  At  the  meeting 
Baron  Liebig  made  an  admirable  speech  in  German, 
which  was  certainly  not  understood  by  the  people  ;  but 
after  he  sat  down  I  repeated  as  much  of  it  as  I  could 
recollect  in  English.  I  little  thought,  in  my  first  visit  to 
Leeds,  that  I  should  years  later  represent  that  great 
manufacturing  town  in  Parliament. 

The  Health  of  Towns  inquiry  was  drawing  to  a  close, 


*J2  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

when  Sir  Robert  Peel  offered  me  an  appointment  as 
Chemist  to  the  Geological  Survey,  vacant  by  the  resigna- 
tion of  Mr  Phillips.  The  Museum  of  Practical  Geology 
and  the  offices  of  the  Survey  were  then  in  Craig's  Court, 
Charing  Cross.  As  there  was  no  room  for  a  proper 
laboratory  in  these  premises,  one  was  fitted  up  in  Duke 
Street,  Westminster.  I  now  left  Lancashire,  and  began 
my  life  in  London.  Before  commencing  my  new  labours, 
Sir  Robert  Peel,  with  that  great  kindness  which  he  always 
showed  to  me,  invited  me  to  meet  some  of  my  future 
chiefs  at  Drayton  Manor.  The  Duke  of  Newcastle,  who 
was  head  of  the  Board  of  Works,  under  which  the 
Geological  Survey  was  administered,  formed  one  of  the 
party.  My  immediate  chief,  Sir  Henry  de  la  Beche,  the 
head  of  the  Survey,  was  another.  Stephenson,  the 
inventor  of  the  railway  system,  Follett,  the  great  lawyer, 
who  unhappily  died  still  young  in  the  following  year,  and 
Buckland,  were  also  visitors  at  Drayton  Manor.  On  this 
occasion  occurred  that  curious  incident  which  is  told 
rather  imperfectly  in  the  biography  of  George  Stephenson. 
As  all  the  world  knows,  he  was  originally  a  coal  miner, 
and  spoke  with  a  strong  Northumbrian  accent.  It  used 
to  be  Sir  Robert  Peel's  amusement  to  promote  discussion 
among  the  philosophers  after  dinner.  Stephenson  spoke 
of  locomotives,  and  how  their  power  was  obtained.  He 
offered  what  was  then  a  daring  speculation,  that  the 
original  source  of  power  in  steam-engines  was  the  sun, 
which  conserved  its  force  in  the  plants  of  which  coal  is 
the  residue.  This  is  now  known  to  be  a  truth,  but  at  that 
time  appeared  to  be  inconceivable  folly.  As  the  geologists 
laughed  at  the  theory,  Stephenson  abandoned  the  con- 
troversy. Next  day  Sir  Robert  Peel  asked  me  what  I 
thought  of  Stephenson's  view,  because  he  noticed  that  I 
did  not  take  part  in  the  discussion.  I  told  him  that  the 
idea  was  not  absurd,  and  could  be  supported  by  good 
arguments.  He  then  desired  me  to  explain  these  to 
Follett,  and  he  would  ask  him  to  be  Stephenson's  advocate 
at  dinner  on  that  day.  Follett  entered  into  the  spirit  of 
the  joke,  and  readily  comprehended  the  explanations  of  a 


LIFE   IN  LANCASHIRE.  73 

possible  correlation  of  forces.  Accordingly,  when  the 
discussion  was  again  raised  after  dinner,  Follett  turned  the 
tables  on  the  geologists  and  completely  defeated  their 
arguments.  Stephenson  looked  on  in  amazement,  and 
exclaimed,  "  Of  all  the  powers  in  Nature,  the  greatest  is 
the  gift  of  the  gab  !  "  Stephenson  often  reminded  me  of 
my  friend  Mercer,  the  calico  printer.  Both  were  men  of 
humble  origin,  and  preserved  their  simple  character  in 
future  life.  Both  were  men  of  genius,  and  of  daring 
speculation  on  matters  of  science.  I  would  much  like 
now,  when  science  has  so  far  progressed,  to  have  notes  of 
niy  evening  talks  with  both  these  men  of  genius,  in  order 
that  I  might  ascertain  whether  opinions  which  I  then 
thought  simply  audacious  are  not  now  supported  by 
modern  discoveries. 

Before  finally  taking  leave  of  Manchester  I  should  say  a 
few  words  as  to  the  state  of  intellectual  society  when  I 
resided  there.  It  had  long  been  a  town  celebrated  for  its 
able  men.  Henry  the  chemist,  Dalton  the  philosopher, 
and  Fairbairn  the  engineer  had  been  shining  lights. 

In  addition  to  Dalton,  Joule,  the  discoverer  of  the 
mechanical  equivalent  of  heat,  was  then  in  Manchester. 
He  was  the  son  of  a  brewer  in  that  town,  and  was  partially 
deformed.  Perhaps  the  following  letter  to  Professor 
Dewar,  of  Cambridge,  an  old  pupil  of  mine  at  Edinburgh 
and  now  successor  to  Faraday  and  Tyndall  in  London,  will 
best  explain  our  relations. 

Play/air  to  Professor  Dewar.        London,  January  20th,  1890. 

My  dear  Dewar, — You  ask  for  some  of  my  memories 
of  Joule  from  1842  to  1845,  when  I  was  Professor  of 
Chemistry  at  the  Royal  Institution  in  Manchester.  The 
great  Dalton  died  in  the  autumn  of  1844,  and  had  been 
long  President  of  the  Manchester  Philosophical  Society. 
He  naturally  gave  an  impulse  to  the  study  of  science  in 
that  town,  where  there  was  an  active  band  of  young 
workers  in  research.  Joule  was,  even  then,  foremost 
among  these,  and  the  names  of  Binsey,  Williamson,  Schunk, 
Angus  Smith,  Young,  and  others,  show  that  the  spirit  ot 


74  MEMOIRS  OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

scientific  inquiry  was  active.  We  were  also  stimulated 
by  the  fact  that  Baron  Liebig  and  Bunsen  came  to  pay 
me  visits  during  that  time ;  they  were  men  to  excite 
research. 

Joule  was  a  man  of  singular  simplicity  and  earnestness. 
We  used  to  meet  at  each  other's  houses  at  supper  to  help 
the  progress  of  our  work  by  discussion.  Joule  was  an 
earnest  worker,  and  was  then  engaged  with  his  experi- 
ments on  the  mechanical  equivalent  of  heat.  He  took  me 
to  his  small  laboratory  to  show  me  his  experiments,  and  I, 
of  course,  quickly  recognised  that  my  young  friend  the 
brewer  was  a  great  philosopher.  We  jointly  worked  upon 
questions  of  far  less  importance  than  his  great  central 
discovery,  but  he  was  equally  interested.  I  was  very 
anxious  that  he  should  devote  his  life  to  science,  and 
persuaded  him  to  become  a  candidate  for  the  Professorship 
of  Natural  Philosophy  at  St  Andrews.  He  was  on  the 
point  of  securing  this,  but  his  personal  slight  deformity 
was  an  objection  in  the  eyes  of  one  of  the  electors,  and  St 
Andrews  lost  the  glory  of  having  one  of  the  greatest 
discoverers  of  our  age.  When  Joule  first  sent  an  account 
of  his  experiments  to  the  Royal  Society,  the  paper  was 
referred  among  others  to  Sir  Charles  Wheatstone,  who  was 
my  intimate  personal  friend.  Wheatstone  was  an  eminently 
fair  man  and  a  good  judge,  but  the  discover}7  did  not  then 
commend  itself  to  his  mind.  For  a  whole  Sunday  after- 
noon we  walked  on  Barnes  Common  discussing  the 
experiments  and  their  consequences,  if  true,  to  science; 
but  all  my  arguments  were  insufficient  to  convince  my 
friend,  and  I  fear  that  then  the  Royal  Society  did  not 
appreciate  and  publish  the  researches.  I  write  from 
memory  only,  for  I  know  that  later  no  society  or  institu- 
tion honoured  Joule  more  than  the  Royal  Society  and  its 
members.  Not  for  one  moment,  however,  did  Joule 
hesitate  as  to  the  accuracy  of  his  experiments  or  his 
conclusions. 

He  once  suggested  to  me  that  we  might  take  a  trip 
together  to  the  falls  of  Niagara,  not  to  look  at  its  beauties, 
but  to  ascertain  the  difference  of  the  temperature  of  the 


LIFE   IN   LANCASHIRE.  75 

water  at  the  top  and  bottom  of  the  fall.  Of  course,  the 
change  of  motion  into  heat  was  a  necessary  consequence 
of  his  views. 

No  more  pleasant  memory  of  my  life  remains  than  the 
fact  that,  side  by  side,  at  my  lectures  in  the  Royal  Institu- 
tion, used  to  sit  the  illustrious  Dalton  with  his  beautiful 
face,  so  like  that  of  Newton,  and  the  keenly  intelligent 
Joule.  I  can  give  no  other  explanation  than  the  fact  of 
Organic  Chemistry  being  then  a  new  science  that  two 
philosophers  of  such  eminence  should  come  to  the  lectures 
of  a  mere  tyro  in  science.  I  used  to  look  upon  them  as 
two  types  of  the  highest  progress  in  science.  Newton  had 
introduced  law,  order,  and  number  into  the  movements  of 
masses  of  matter  in  the  universe  :  Dalton  introduced  the 
same  into  the  minute  masses  which  we  call  atoms  :  and 
Joule,  with  a  keen  insight  into  the  operation  and  correla- 
tion of  forces,  connected  them  together  and  showed  their 
mutual  equivalence. 

I  do  not  know  whether  these  memories  are  of  any  use 
to  you,  but,  such  as  they  are,  they  are  at  your  disposal  for 
your  lecture  on  the  friend  of  my  youth. 

(Signed)  Lyon  Playfair. 

Prof.  Dewar,  F.R.S.,  Cambridge. 

So  far  I  have  left  Playfair  to  tell  the  story  of  his 
career  in  his  own  way.  The  reader  will  see,  however, 
that  although  he  gives  a  brief  summary  of  the  facts  of  his 
career  in  these  early  years,  he  is  silent  as  to  all  those 
personal  questions  by  knowledge  of  which  alone  a  sound 
judgment  of  a  man's  character  can  be  formed.  We  see 
him  playing  a  distinguished  part  in  the  company  of  not 
a  few  eminent  men,  recognised  by  them  as  their  equal, 
and  sharing  with  them  in  important  labours  for  the  public 
good.  But  nothing  is  said  that  calls  attention  to  the  fact 
that  when  Playfair  was  offered  the  important  professorship 
at  Toronto,  and  when  he  paid  his  first  memorable  visit 
to  Drayton  Manor,  he  was  still  a  mere  youth.     The  young 


76  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

chemist  who  was  occupying  a  comparatively  humble  post 
in  a  manufacturing  establishment  in  Lancashire  is  suddenly 
transformed  into  the  scientific  expert,  whose  opinions  are 
heard  with  respectful  attention  by  the  Prime  Minister. 
But  no  clue  is  given  to  the  secret  of  this  remarkable 
change.  As  it  is  my  desire  to  interest  my  readers  quite 
as  much  in  Playfair's  personality  as  in  his  work  and  his 
achievements,  I  must  in  this  chapter  supplement  his  own 
condensed  narrative  with  some  particulars  gathered  from 
other  sources. 

It  was  thoroughly  characteristic  of  a  man  who  was 
"  practical "  from  his  earliest  to  his  latest  years,  and  who 
always  preferred  doing  to  dreaming,  that  he  no  sooner 
returned  from  Giessen,  at  the  close  of  his  University 
career,  than  he  looked  out  for  some  kind  of  work  which 
would  make  him  independent  of  his  father — whose  means 
were  moderate — and  give  him  the  satisfaction  of  earning 
his  own  living.  That  work  he  obtained,  as  he  has  himself 
told  us,  in  the  calico-printing  works  at  Clitheroe.  Mr 
Thomson,  the  proprietor,  needed  a  chemist  to  superintend 
the  dyeing  processes  in  the  establishment,  and  young 
Playfair  was  fortunate  enough  to  obtain  the  post  at  a 
salary  that  was  a  handsome  one,  considering  his  years  and 
the  task  entrusted  to  him.  Few  things  were  more  charac- 
teristic of  the  man  in  later  life  than  that  business-like 
punctuality  which  impressed  Mr  Thomson  so  favourably 
at  their  first  interview  that  he  voluntarily  made  a  con- 
siderable addition  to  the  sum  he  had  originally  proposed 
to  offer  to  the  young  chemist. 

But  for  an  explanation  of  Playfair's  early  success  we  must 
look  beyond  his  aptitude  for  business.  The  simple  fact  is 
that  the  young  Scotch  chemist  had  made  a  remarkable 
impression  upon  nearly  all  those  who  were  brought  in  con- 
tact with  him.  Young  as  he  was,  he  had  already  done 
work   in   chemistry   that   had   made   him   known  to  the 


LIFE    IN   LANCASHIRE.  fj 

greatest  chemists  of  the  day.  His  translation  01  Liebig's 
great  book  had  made  his  name  a  familiar  one  to  men  of 
science  generally,  whilst,  above  all,  his  own  personality 
had  secured  for  him  a  place  in  the  esteem  of  many  eminent 
men  which  few  so  young  have  ever  reached.  In  plain 
English,  before  Playfair  had  been  many  months  in  his  first 
official  post  at  Clitheroe,  he  was  generally  regarded,  not 
only  by  the  distinguished  men  of  science  who  at  that  time 
lived  in  Manchester,  but  by  many  leading  men  in  the 
scientific  world,  as  the  most  promising  of  all  the  younger 
students  of  his  day.  In  proof  of  this  assertion,  the  narrative 
— barely  alluded  to  in  his  own  autobiography — of  his  intro- 
duction to  Sir  Robert  Peel,  in  1842,  must  be  given  at  some 
length.  It  is  a  story  equally  creditable  to  the  statesman, 
the  young  student,  and  those  generous  workers  in  the  field 
of  science  who — to  use  the  words  of  one  of  them — were 
determined,  if  they  could,  to  "save  Playfair  for  England." 
The  story  of  this  episode  in  Playfair' s  life  may  fitly 
begin  with  the  following  letter  from  Dr  Buckland,  the 
eminent  geologist  and  Dean  of  Westminster,  to  Sir  Robert 
Peel. 

Dr  Buckland  to  Sir  Robert  Peel.  April  26th,  1842. 

I  rejoice  in  common  with  a  host  of  scientific  friends  at 
the  well-merited  honour  which  has  been  recently  conferred 
on  Sir  Henry  de  la  Beche.  I  was  pleased  to  find,  at  an 
interview  I  had  with  him  and  Mr  Pusey,  at  the  office  of 
Lord  Lincoln,  last  Friday,  that  his  lordship  is  anxious  to 
find  means  of  carrying  into  effect  the  wishes  now  so  pre- 
valent amongst  scientific  men  and  agriculturists  to  urge 
forward  in  this  country  the  inquiry  which  has  begun  in 
France  and  Germany,  but  hitherto  has  been  much  neglected 
in  England,  as  to  the  extent  to  which  a  knowledge  of 
organic  chemistry  may  be  applied  to  the  improvement  ot 
agriculture.  There  seems  to  prevail  at  this  time  a  general 
expectation  of  great  results  likely  to  arise  from  the  applica- 


78  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

tion  of  science  to  agriculture,  and  a  disposition  on  the  part 
of  farmers,  unknown  till  now,  to  adopt  experiments  which 
the  practice  of  their  landlords  and  most  intelligent  neigh- 
bours has  shown  to  be  beneficial.  At  such  a  moment,  one 
man  only  has  arisen  in  this  country,  in  the  translator  of 
Liebig,  who  has  specially  devoted  himself,  with  great 
success,  to  the  very  difficult  and  most  important  subject  of 
organic  chemistry  in  its  connection  with  agriculture.  I  am 
not  personally  acquainted  with  Dr  Playfair,  but  have  seen 
in  the  hands  of  Sir  H.  de  la  Beche  such  a  certificate  in  his 
favour,  given  when  he  was  recently  a  candidate  for  a 
vacant  professorship  in  Scotland,  that  in  ordinary  chemistry 
he  must  have  few  that  surpass  him,  whilst  his  translation 
of  Liebig  shows  his  pre-eminent  fitness  for  investigations 
connected  with  agriculture.  I  therefore  feel  confidently 
that  great  results  would  follow  from  a  series  of  experiments 
systematically  conducted  by  such  a  man  ;  and  as  I  am  told 
he  has  a  full  knowledge  of  geology,  he  might  institute 
experiments  upon  the  selected  specimens  of  each  of  the 
principal  formations  that  occur  in  England,  which  would 
serve  as  pattern  or  example  of  the  experiments,  showing 
their  defects  and  the  means  of  ameliorating  such  portions 
of  each  formation  from  which  the  subject  matter  of  his 
several  experiments  may  be  selected. 

Believe  me,  etc., 

W.   BUCKLAND. 

This  was  Dr  Buckland's  first,  but  by  no  means  his  last 
attempt  to  bring  the  young  chemist  under  the  notice  of  the 
Prime  Minister.  There  are  indications  in  the  correspond- 
ence of  Playfair  during  the  following  months  which  show 
that  the  great  geologist  had  taken  up  the  young  man's 
cause  with  enthusiasm.  He  had  done  so  at  the  instigation 
of  Sir  Henry  de  la  Beche,  to  whose  estimate  of  Playfair' s 
ability  reference  is  made  in  the  foregoing  letter.  But  Peel 
was  not  at  that  time  disposed  to  assist  in  the  creation  of  a 
school  of  agricultural  science  in  this  country.  The  times 
were  not  propitious,  and  he  doubted  whether  Parliament 


LIFE   IN  LANCASHIRE.  79 

would  be  prepared  to  grant  money  to  agriculturists, 
except  on  condition  that  similar  grants  were  made  to  other 
industries.  Still  Buckland  did  not  despair  of  bringing  Peel 
and  Playfair  into  direct  communication.  In  the  month  of 
October,  Playfair  received  through  Faraday  the  offer  of  the 
professorship  at  Toronto.  He  naturally  communicated  at 
once  with  his  friend  De  la  Beche.  The  latter  felt,  to  use 
his  own  words,  that  "if  Playfair  is  to  be  saved  for  England, 
there  is  no  time  to  lose  "  ;  and  he  wrote  an  urgent  letter 
to  Buckland. 

Ross,  Herefordshire. 

Sir  H.  de  la  Beche  to  Dr  Buckland.  October  12th,  1842. 

My  dear  Buckland, — This  morning's  post  has  brought 
me  information  of  which  I  am  sure  you  will  join  with  me 
in  regretting  most  cordially  the  cause,  at  least  if  the  matter 
takes  the  turn  which  it  so  readily  may.  Dr  Playfair  has 
been  offered  an  American  professorship,  with  ^"450  per 
annum,  house,  garden,  and  college  fees.  Neither  you  nor 
I  would  ever  regret  any  good  which  could  befall  so  talented 
or  worthy  a  man  as  our  friend  Playfair ;  but  to  see  him 
thus  snatched  from  us  in  England  when  he  has,  as  you 
know,  been  so  well  received  and  properly  appreciated  by 
our  leading  agriculturists,  is  deplorable.  Here  we  are  at 
the  Museum  of  Economic  Geology,  with  all  things  ready 
to  bring  Playfair  to  bear  so  successfully  upon  the  agriculture 
of  this  country.  I  have  a  plan  to  provide  for  Richard 
Phillips  efficiently,  doing  real  sendee  to  the  country.  I 
mean  in  connection  with  the  Fine  Arts  Committee,  their 
stuccoes,  colours,  etc. ;  so  that  the  frescoes  (in  the  Houses 
of  Parliament),  if  there  should  be  any,  may  be  permanent, 
and  the  colours  not  fly  off  in  half  a  dozen  years.  Upon 
this  subject  I  have  already  written  to  Lord  Lincoln,  who 
seems,  apparently,  to  have  a  good  opinion  of  it;  indeed, 
the  outlook  is  clear.  The  objection  to  two  chemists  at 
the  Museum — certainly  a  very  good  one — could  thus  be 
removed.  In  point  of  fact,  all  seems  ready  to  bring 
Playfair  to  bear;  and  in  precisely  this  state  of  things  comes 


80  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

this  offer  from  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  sweeping  him 
away. 

At  least  there  is  only  a  fortnight  (now  two  or  three  days 
less)  for  his  answer,  which  can  scarcely  be  expected  to  be 
otherwise  than  an  acceptance,  seeing  that  there  is  nothing 
certain  in  connection  with  the  Museum  of  Economic 
Geology  moving.  That  he  would  prefer  England  to 
America  I  know  full  well,  and  that  we  have  no  one  at  all 
equal  to  him  for  agricultural  chemistry  we  both  know  well 
also.  Could  others  do  the  same  ?  To  move  through  the 
usual  official  channels  there  is  no  time,  so  that  Sir  Robert 
Peel  may  be  acquainted  with  the  probable  loss  we  may 
sustain  by  Playfair  moving  to  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic. 
Having  never  corresponded  with  Sir  Robert  Peel  on  this 
subject,  it  might  be  considered  out  of  place  if  I  did  so  now. 
As  you  have,  I  believe,  would  you,  if  there  should  be  time 
after  you  receive  this  letter,  mention  the  matter  to  Sir 
Robert  Peel  ?  A  breath  from  him  would  put  all  straight. 
Playfair's  present  address  is  :  Primrose,  Blackburn,  Lanca- 
shire. Pray  write  to  him,  and  see  how  matters  stand,  for 
round  about  by  me  here  the  time  may  be  lost. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

H.  DE  LA  BECHE. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  comment  upon  the  singular  earnest- 
ness of  this  letter.  Evidently  De  la  Beche  was  desperately 
afraid  that  Playfair's  departure  for  Canada — or,  as  he 
vaguely  describes  it,  America — would  mean  a  grave  loss  to 
the  intellectual  capital  of  Great  Britain.  Nor  was  Buck- 
land  less  anxious  to  act  for  the  purpose  of  retaining 
Playfair  in  this  country.  He  communicated  at  once  with 
Sir  Robert  Peel,  with  the  result  that  Playfair  received  from 
the  Prime  Minister  the  letter  which  at  first  puzzled  him  so 
greatly. 

Drayton  Manor, 
Sir  Robert  Peel  to  Dr  Playfair.  October  13th,  1842. 

My  dear  Sir, — Will  you  give  me  the  pleasure  of  your 
company  at  Drayton  Manor  for  as  long  a  time  as  you  can 


LIFE   IN   LANCASHIRE.  8 1 

spare  me  ?     If  you  will  come  to  dinner  on  Wednesday 
next,  you  will,  I  trust,  meet  Buckland  and  De  la  Beche. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Robert  Peel. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  of  Reminiscences,  Playfair  has 
given  a  brief  account  of  this  visit  to  Drayton  Manor.  The 
explanation  of  the  reason  which  led  the  Prime  Minister  to 
address  such  an  invitation  to  a  young  and  little  known 
chemist  is,  of  course,  to  be  found  in  the  urgent  advocacy  of 
his  claims  by  eminent  men  like  Buckland  and  De  la  Beche. 
No  record  exists  of  the  conversation  which  took  place 
regarding  Playfair  during  the  visit  to  Drayton  ;  but  it  is 
clear  that  Buckland  urged  his  claims  with  persistency,  and 
that  he  adopted  the  suggestion  of  Sir  Henry  de  la  Beche 
that  a  place  should  be  found  for  Playfair  at  the  Museum 
of  Economic  Geology  by  the  removal  of  Mr,  afterwards 
Sir,  Richard  Phillips  to  another  post.  Nor  was  Peel 
altogether  disinclined  to  adopt  this  suggestion,  as  the 
following  memorandum  in  the  Prime  Minister's  own 
handwriting  seems  to  prove. 

Drayton  Manor,  October  18th,  1842. 

We,  that  is  Lord  Lincoln  and  Sir  Robert  Peel,  under- 
standing that  unusual  decision  is  required,  are  ready  to 
consent  to  this  : — If  Mr  Phillips  can  be  induced  volun- 
tarily to  relinquish  the  appointment  he  holds,  and  shall 
signify  by  a  letter  to  Lord  Lincoln  his  willingness  to  resign 
it,  Dr  Lyon  Playfair  shall  be  appointed  to  a  corresponding 
office  at  the  annual  salary  of  .£400.  We  cannot  take  any 
step  for  the  purpose  of  inducing  Mr  Phillips's  retirement. 
It  must  be  voluntary  on  his  part. 

This,  it  will  be  admitted,  was  a  remarkable  document 
to  come  from  a  Prime  Minister  under  the  circumstances. 
When  Peel  handed  it  to  Playfair,  he  told  him  that  during 

G 


82  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

his  whole  official  career  he  had  never  entered  into  such  an 
understanding  before  with  an  applicant  for  office.  Mr 
Phillips,  however,  was  not  disposed  to  retire  voluntarily, 
and  the  ardent  De  la  Beche,  still  intent  upon  retaining 
Playfair  in  England,  tried  to  devise  some  means  for  inducing 
Mr  Phillips  to  make  way  for  his  protege. 

The  subsequent  story  of  the  negotiations  for  this  purpose 
is  a  curious  one.  De  la  Beche,  writing  on  October  19th  to 
Buckland,  makes  the  following  suggestion  for  the  purpose 
of  procuring  the  retirement  of  Phillips  : — 

He  (Phillips)  now  gets  ^"200  per  annum,  with  some 
little  advantages  for  analyses,  which  I  do  not  think  amount 
to  .£40  or  .£50  more.  He  has  also  private  chemical 
engagements.  His  office  hours  at  the  Museum  interfere 
with  the  latter.  To  induce  Phillips  to  resign,  something 
equivalent  at  least  will  have  to  be  offered  :  something 
equal  to  .£250.  It  is  quite  clear  that  Sir  Robert  Peel  will 
keep  himself  clear  of  all  inducements  to  the  resignation  ot 
Phillips ;  and  in  this  he  is  most  perfectly  right.  If  he  did, 
it  might  be  made  the  handle  for  misstatements.  The 
movement  for  Phillips  to  resign  must  therefore  be  made  on 
the  part  of  those  who  desire  to  see  agricultural  chemistry 
properly  treated  for  the  benefit  of  the  agriculture  of  this 
country.  It  appears  to  me  that  it  would  be  most  credit- 
able to  the  English  Agricultural  Society,  and  greatly  to  the 
interest  of  its  members,  that  the  present  opportunity 
should  be  seized.  Taking  your  view  that  .£200  per 
annum  might  be  given  by  them  to  Phillips  for  the  analysis 
of  mineral  manures  and  of  subsoil  rocks,  the  state  of  things 
would  stand  thus  : — An  opportunity  of  greatly  advancing 
the  agriculture  of  the  country  by  a  proper  and  judicious 
application  of  chemistry  to  agriculture,  aided  by  geological 
investigations,  now  presents  itself.  Will  the  English 
Agricultural  Society  avail  themselves  of  it  at  a  cost  of  ^"200 
or  .£250  per  annum  ?  The  total  salaries  of  the  competent 
parties  are  required  to  be  .£600  or  ^"650  per  annum. 
Government   seems  willing   to   place  a  highly  competent 


LIFE   IN  LANCASHIRE.  83 

chemist  in  an  office  where  this  matter  can  be  proceeded 
with,  provided  the  present  holder  of  that  office  voluntarily 
resigns  it.  Now,  though  the  holder  of  that  office  is  not 
skilled  in  agricultural  chemistry  as  a  whole,  parts  of  the 
general  subject  he  is  highly  competent  to  investigate. 
Would  the  Agricultural  Society,  by  taking  the  present 
holder  of  the  office  into  its  pay  at  a  rate  of  salary  equiva- 
lent to  the  present  salary  of  that  office,  enable  the  other 
party,  highly  skilled  in  organic  chemistry  and  the  general 
subject,  to  enter  into  that  office  ? 

This  proposal  on  the  part  of  De  la  Beche  did  not  meet 
with  the  approval  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society. 
Mr  Pusey,  the  secretary  of  the  society,  expressed  his 
earnest  desire  to  advance  Playfair's  career  ;  but  on  con- 
sultation with  the  leading  members  of  the  society  it 
became  clear  that  they  were  not  prepared  to  confer  upon 
Phillips  the  appointment  suggested  by  Sir  Henry  de  la 
Beche. 

Even  then  De  la  Beche  refused  to  give  up  the  hope 
of  securing  Playfair's  services.  There  was  no  place  in 
the  country,  he  declared,  where  chemical  and  geological 
agriculture  could  be  carried  out  at  all  equal  to  the 
Museum  of  Economic  Geology,  if  a  properly  qualified 
chemist  could  be  found.  Such  a  man  they  had  in 
Playfair — one  who  possessed  all  the  requisites,  and  who 
was  approved  of  by  the  Prime  Minister  himself.  He  now 
proposed  that  Playfair  should  be  at  once  taken  into  the 
public  employment  at  a  salary  of  ^"200  a  year,  and  that 
he  should  be  asked  to  report  upon  the  state  of  British 
agriculture  as  regarded  agricultural  chemistry,  practical 
farming,  the  variety  of  soils,  and  other  similar  matters, 
he  being  allowed  at  the  same  time  to  use  the  laboratory 
at  the  Museum  of  Economic  Geology.  Phillips  was  of 
course  to  be  retained  under  this  proposal  in  his  old  place 
at  his  old  salary,  though  as  a  matter  of  fact  the  chief  part 


84  MEMOIRS  OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

of  the  work  which  was  required  would  be  done  by  Playfair. 
It  was  an  ingenious  scheme,  but  it  failed  to  meet  with  the 
approval  of  Sir  Robert  Peel,  though  in  writing  to  Dr 
Buckland  the  Prime  Minister  once  more  expressed  his 
desire  to  help  Playfair.  "We  are  all,"  he  wrote — "that 
is,  all  official  men — inclined  to  do  whatever  we  can, 
consistent  with  our  duty,  and  therefore  with  the  true 
interests  of  Dr  Playfair,  to  procure  his  services  for  the 
public." 

I  have  told  the  story  of  this  important  episode  in 
Playfair' s  life  with  sufficient  fulness  in  order  to  show  how 
high  was  the  place  he  had  already  secured  in  the  esteem  of 
distinguished  men  of  science,  and  how  fortunate  he  had 
been  in  attracting  the  attention  and  securing  the  goodwill 
of  Sir  Robert  Peel.  Before  I  close  this  chapter,  and 
this  record  of  the  failure  to  procure  for  Playfair  a  post 
in  which  he  would  unquestionably  have  been  able  to  do 
good  service  to  the  cause  of  English  agriculture,  it  may  be 
well  to  set  forth  at  length  the  letter  to  Dr  Buckland,  in 
which,  at  the  request  of  the  latter,  he  indicated  the  work 
he  was  prepared  to  undertake  if  he  had  secured  the 
appointment  of  agricultural  chemist. 

Playfair  to  Dr  Buckland.  October  16th,  1842. 

My  dear  Dr  Buckland, — A  few  days  since,  I 
received  through  Dr  Faraday  the  offer  of  a  professorship 
in  Toronto  from  Sir  C.  Bagot.  The  salary  offered  is  ^450 
per  annum,  besides  a  house,  garden,  and  fees  of  students. 
As  I  am  required  to  give  my  final  answer  before  Tuesday 
next,  I  should  esteem  it  a  great  favour  if  you  were  to  lay 
before  Lord  Lincoln  the  reasons  which  compel  me  to  ask 
his  lordship  for  a  decision  with  respect  to  the  negotiations 
alluded  to  by  Sir  H.  de  la  Beche.  I  beg,  also,  to  describe 
some  of  the  objects  which  I  think  are  desirable  in  the 
event  of  an  agricultural  chemist  being  appointed  in 
connection  with  Government. 


LIFE   IN   LANCASHIRE.  85 

The  great  object  which  should  be  held  in  view  by 
an  agricultural  chemist  connected  with  Government 
is  to  promote  the  general  interest  of  English  agricul- 
ture, and  not  the  particular  interest  of  its  individual 
cultivators. 

There  are  many  laws  which  must  be  discovered  before 
agriculture  can  be  rapidly  advanced  on  scientific  principles. 
Analyses  of  the  manures  used  in  England  have  to  be 
executed  in  connection  with  the  economic  geology  of  the 
country.  Above  all,  it  is  necessary  to  ascertain  the  sub- 
stance which  plants  take  from  soils  ;  for,  without  this 
knowledge,  we  do  not  know  what  to  return  to  the  soil 
as  manure.  Analyses  of  the  food  of  cattle  are  requisite 
in  order  to  show  us  wherein  their  nutriment  consists, 
and  thus  enable  us  to  economise  our  food.  No  such 
analyses  are  extant,  and  it  is  thorough  and  accurate 
analysis  that  is  needed.  Such  an  analysis,  to  be  properly 
performed,  requires  five  days'  work.  By  fixing  the 
above  rate,  those  only  would  send  soils  for  analysis 
who  wanted  some  important  question  solved.  But  as 
this  working  for  individual  interest  would  be  taking 
away  the  labours  of  the  chemist  from  those  of  general 
interest,  it  should  be  permitted  to  the  Director  of  the 
Museum  and  to  the  chemist  to  refuse  such  analyses,  if  they 
found  that  no  good  could  arise  by  their  execution. 

It  is  a  great  complaint  that  there  is  no  place  in  England 
where  students  of  agriculture  may  acquire  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  agricultural  chemistry,  and  of  its  mani- 
pulations, in  order  that  they  may  conduct  their  own  farm- 
ing on  scientific  principles.  I  therefore  think  it  would  be 
very  valuable  to  admit  a  few  laboratory  pupils,  at  a  very 
moderate  fee,  such  as  £20  each  per  annum,  to  the  chemist, 
besides  the  cost  of  materials  to  the  Museum  (the  usual 
fee  in  London  is  .£50). 

Such  are  my  opinions  of  the  duties  of  an  agricultural 
chemist — duties,  as  I  conceive,  well  fitted  for  the  advance- 
ment of  agriculture.  Unless  he  is  put  above  the  necessity 
of  making  money,  he  can  be  of  little  use  to  general 
agriculture. 


86  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Feeling  convinced  on  this  subject,  I  may  mention  the 
conditions  on  which  I  should  accept  the  appointment  in 
the  event  of  his  lordship  doing  me  the  honour  to  put  it  in 
my  power. 

i.  That  I  should  receive  a  fixed  salary  from  Govern- 
ment of  ^"400  (four  hundred  pounds)  per  annum. 

2.  That  I  should  receive  the  fees  for  those  private 
analyses  which  it  was  thought  expedient  to  make, 
and  also  for  the  lectures  and  private  pupils.  (The 
fee  for  the  lectures  will,  of  course,  depend  upon  their 
number,  but  the  fee  for  the  analysis  of  a  soil  not  to  be 
below  £5.) 

3.  That  I  should  not  be  required  to  undertake  any 
general  analysis  of  English  soils.  Understanding  that  this 
has  been  suggested,  I  must  strongly  state  my  opinion  that 
no  benefit  could  accrue  for  the  present  from  such  a  course, 
and  that  the  usefulness  of  an  agricultural  chemist,  in  such 
a  case,  would  be  destroyed. 

As  my  great  desire  is  to  be  useful  to  scientific  agriculture, 
I  have  made  these  stipulations  in  order  that  time  might 
not  be  wholly  employed  in  working  for  individual  benefit. 
By  doing  so  I  certainly  could  obtain  more  money,  but  it 
would  be  at  the  sacrifice  of  general  good,  and  I  feel  con- 
vinced that  the  plan  I  have  proposed  is  one  which  will 
prove  of  real  utility  to  agriculture. 

I  am, 

My  dear  Dr  Buckland, 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

Lyon  Playfair. 

That  Peel  valued  his  friendship  with  the  young  chemist 
and  attached  value  to  his  advice,  is  proved  by  the  corre- 
spondence of  the  great  statesman  himself.  Thus,  in  writing 
to  Prince  Albert  on  December  17th,  1844,  Peel  says  :  "I 
have  some  very  distinguished  scientific  men  on  a  visit  here 
— Dr  Buckland,  Dr  Lyon  Playfair  (the  translator  of  Liebig), 
Professor  Wheatstone  (theinventor  of  the  electric  telegraph), 


LIFE   IN  LANCASHIRE.  87 

Professor  Owen,  of  the  College  of  Surgeons,  Mr  George 
Stephenson,  the  engineer.  ...  I  invited  yesterday- 
all  my  principal  tenants  to  meet  them  at  dinner  and 
acquire  information,  which  was  most  kindly  and  liberally 
given  by  all  the  philosophers  on  points  connected  with 
vegetation,  manure,  the  feeding  of  animals,  draining,  etc." 
Again,  in  December,  1845,  Peel  writes,  at  the  crisis  in  the 
history  of  the  Corn  Laws  :  "  The  accounts  from  Ireland 
in  the  month  of  October,  from  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  from 
the  constabulary,  from  the  men  of  science  whom  we  sent 
there  to  investigate  the  facts — Dr  Lyon  Playfair  and  Dr 
Lindley,  the  first  chemist  and  first  botanist — were  very 
alarming.  The  worst  account  was  from  the  men  of 
science." 

The  part  which  Playfair  had  subsequently  in  bringing 
Sir  Robert  Peel  to  his  momentous  decision  with  regard  to 
the  duties  on  food  will  be  dealt  with  in  a  later  chapter  ; 
but  it  is  worth  while  to  give  the  foregoing  extract  from 
Peel's  letter  to  the  Prince  Consort  at  this  point,  in  order  to 
show  how  high  was  the  position  which  he  assigned  to 
Playfair  in  the  scientific  world. 

The  first  Government  appointment  which  Playfair 
received  was,  as  he  has  told  us,  the  post  of  a  Member 
of  the  Royal  Commission  to  inquire  into  the  Health  ot 
Towns.  On  April  21st,  1843,  Sir  James  Graham,  then 
Home  Secretary,  wrote  to  Playfair  to  express  his  gratifica- 
tion at  his  having  accepted  this  appointment,  and  to  state 
that  his  work  would  not  in  any  way  interfere  with  his  post 
at  Manchester.  There  is  little  that  one  need  add  to  the 
brief  account  which  Playfair  has  himself  given  of  the  work 
of  that  memorable  Commission.  It  marked  the  real 
beginning  of  sanitary  science  in  the  United  Kingdom. 
Many  eminent  men  had  paved  the  way  for  its  operations, 
including  both  Chadwick  and  Dr  Southwood  Smith.  When 
it  began  its  work  it  is  hardly  an  exaggeration  to  say  that  it 


88  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

found  every  English  town  little  better  than  a  vast  cesspool. 
Before  its  recommendations  had  been  fully  carried  out,  our 
towns  had  become  practically  what  they  are  to-day.  The 
death-rate  had  been  diminished  everywhere,  and  the  con- 
ditions of  life  had  been  made  infinitely  more  wholesome 
than  they  had  ever  been  before.  It  is  not  surprising  to 
find  that  from  the  beginning  of  his  connection  with  this 
great  Commission,  Lyon  Playfair  became  absorbed  in  the 
question  of  the  improvement  of  our  sanitation.  The 
3roungest  member  of  the  Commission,  he  was  naturally  not 
the  least  ardent,  and  threw  himself  with  his  whole  heart 
and  soul  into  the  work  which  had  been  entrusted  to 
him.  Before  long  he  became  the  recognised  leader  of 
national  enterprises  for  the  improvement  of  the  public 
health. 

J.  von  Liebig  to  Playfair.  Giessen,  November  15th,  1842. 

My  dear  Friend, — Many  thanks  for  your  kind  letter 
of  October  30th,  and  the  important  news  contained  therein. 
I  hasten  to  say  how  heartily  I  wish  that  all  our  desires 
may  be  fulfilled.  I  have  read  in  the  papers  that  you  went 
with  Buckland  to  see  Sir  R.  Peel,  and  I  hope  the  best  from 
this  visit.  I  hear  that  Sir  R.  Peel  also  intended  to  send 
me  an  invitation  ;  if  I  could  have  his  note  I  should  value 
it  for  the  sake  of  the  autograph.  May  Heaven  give  you 
the  needful  courage  for  your  first  lecture.  You  have 
a  natural  gift  of  eloquence,  and  for  the  rest  I  have  not 
much  fear. 

The  new  edition  of  '  Agricultural  Chemistry'  will  receive 
many  alterations,  but  I  cannot  yet  quite  define  them.  I 
cannot  therefore  leave  to  you  the  preparation  of  the  first 
sheets,  much  as  I  should  like  to  do  so.  I  have  to  add  a 
new  chapter  on  Sulphur,  and  this  must  come  quite  near 
the  beginning. 

I  will  consider  your  proposal  to  add  a  chapter  on 
fattening  of  cattle.     It  might  be  useful. 

You   have   at   Lord    Ducie's    the    best   opportunity   of 


LIFE   IN  LANCASHIRE.  89 

determining  on  a  large  scale  the  constitution  of  the  debris 
of  straw,  potatoes,  and  roots.  Do  not  neglect  this 
opportunity,  as  it  will  be  useful  to  us  in  '  Agricultural 
Chemistry.'  It  will  doubtless  be  easy  for  you  to  arrange 
for  the  drying  of  the  roots,  etc. 

I  will  answer  the  rest  of  your  letter  more  fully  after 
your  return  to  Primrose.     In  any  case  I  shall  hope  to  see 


you  here  in  the  spring. 


Yours  most  cordially, 

J.  v.  Liebig. 


Same  to  the  same.  Giessen,  March  yd,  1843. 

My  dear  Friend, — I  have  not  yet  answered  your 
last  letter,  as  I  have  been  very  busily  engaged  on  the 
preparation  of  our  '  Agricultural  Chemistry.'  The  book  is 
now  ready,  and  you  will  have  already  received  two  sheets 
of  it.  I  have  added  five  new  chapters :  on  the  origin  of 
arable  land,  on  the  formation  of  ammonia,  on  the  part 
taken  by  nitric  acid  in  the  nourishment  of  plants,  and  on 
fallow  ground.  The  chapter  on  cultivation  and  rotation  01 
crops  is  quite  new.  Thus,  you  see,  this  edition  is  practically 
a  new  book.  Will  you  be  so  good  as  to  bring  the  English 
version  into  line  with  the  German  at  once  ?  I  am  very 
anxious  that  the  book  should  not  lose  its  scientific  character ; 
it  is  not  intended  solely  for  agriculturists,  but  for  the 
general  public.  It  is  specially  necessary  for  those  people 
who  desire  to  understand  the  book  to  gain  first  some 
elementary  knowledge  of  chemistry ;  this  I  do  not  wish  to 
bring  into  the  book,  which  is  thereby  differentiated  from 
Johnston's  and  other  books  for  farmers. 

I  must  tell  you  that  Dr  Will  intends  to  apply  for  the 
post  of  chemist  to  the  Agricultural  Society  of  Scotland. 
Will  is  fond  of  England,  and  is  quite  the  right  man 
to  carry  out  the  researches  desired  by  the  society. 
Should  you  have  any  opportunity  of  assisting  him  in  this 
direction,  he  will  be  very  grateful.  We  have  discovered 
here  some  excellent  new  methods  for  the  analysis  of 
ashes 


90  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Write  to  me  again  soon,  and  tell  me  a  little  about  the 
post  you  applied  for  in  London.  I  hear  that  you  gave  two 
lectures  in  London  with  great  success,  and  am  surprised 
that  they  did  not  lead  to  the  desired  result. 

Farewell,  my  dear  friend. 

Ever  yours, 

Dr  J.  v.  Liebig. 


CHAPTER    V. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY    CONTINUED. — IV.   BEGINNING    OF    MY 
LONDON   LIFE. 

1845  to  1850. 

Settled  in  London  :  A  Call  from  Sir  James  Clark  :  Sir  Henry  de  la  Beche : 
Distinguished  Colleagues :  Inquiring  into  the  Sanitary  Condition  of 
Buckingham  Palace :  Reporting  upon  the  Best  Coals  for  Steam 
Navigation :  Mining  Accidents  :  The  Potato  Famine  in  Ireland : 
Effect  of  Emigration  upon  Potato  Production  :  Marriage :  Oersted : 
A  Letter  which  led  to  the  Foundation  of  the  Petroleum  Industry: 
Inquiring  into  the  Cholera :  The  Duke  of  Wellington  and  the  Chartist 
Demonstration :  Sworn  a  Special  Constable :  In  Paris  during  the 
Revolution  of  1848  :  Louis  Blanc  and  Louis  Napoleon. 

On  going  to  reside  in  London,  I  took  rooms  together  with 
my  friend  Andrew  Ramsay  (now  Sir  Andrew  Ramsay)  in 
York  Road,  Westminster.  The  house  belonged  to  a  most 
respectable  middle-aged  woman,  who  had  a  brass  plate  on 

the  door  :  "  Mrs  P ,  Dressmaker  and  Milliner."     Soon 

after  our  arrival  there  a  handsome  carriage  with  brown 
liveries  stopped  at  the  door,  and  a  tall,  attractive  man  was 
shown  to  our  sitting-room.  He  told  us  that  he  was  Sir 
James  Clark,  the  well-known  Physician  to  the  Queen. 
After  a  few  friendly  remarks,  he  explained  that  one  object 
of  his  visit  was  to  tell  us  that  the  street  in  which  we  lived 
was  of  doubtful  fame,  while  the  brass  plate  on  the  door 
increased  the  appearances  against  us.  We  took  his 
friendly  advice,  and  changed  our  lodgings  to  Brompton, 
near  the  Consumption  Hospital.  This  was  the  beginning 
of  a  friendship  with  Sir  James  Clark  which  I  much 
valued  for  many  years,  and  which  1  continue  by  descent 


92  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

to  the  present  day  in  the  person  of  his  son,  Sir  John 
Clark.  Sir  James  Clark  was  a  man  of  admirable 
character,  and  was  justly  esteemed  by  the  Queen  and 
Prince  Consort,  not  only  as  a  physician  but  also  as  a 
confidential  friend.  Indirectly,  he  did  much  for  science, 
for  it  was  he  who  founded  the  Royal  College  of 
Chemistry,  and  brought  over  Hofmann  to  this  country 
to  carry  out  those  splendid  researches  which  have  made 
him  so  famous. 

I  have  already  said  that  before  the  Museum  of  Geology 
and  Geological  Survey  were  transferred  to  Jermyn  Street 
I  had  a  temporary  laboratory  in  Duke  Street,  West- 
minster. Here  I  continued,  in  association  with  Joule, 
researches  into  the  atomic  volume  of  salts.  We 
established  that  the  water  in  crystallised  salts  has  the 
same  atomic  volume  as  ice.  We  also  showed  that  in 
hydrated  salts  the  volume  of  the  acid  disappears,  the 
volume  of  the  base  and  of  the  water  as  ice  making  up  the 
whole  volume  of  the  salt.  In  highly  hydrated  salts,  such 
as  carbonate  or  phosphate  of  soda,  the  volume  of  the  salt 
is  only  that  of  the  solid  water,  the  dry  salt  occupying  no 
appreciable  space.  Following  these  observations  into 
solutions,  we  proved  that  the  increase  in  the  bulk  of  a 
solution,  when  a  highly  hydrated  salt  is  dissolved,  is  only 
that  due  to  the  water  of  crystallisation  becoming  liquid, 
the  salt  itself  occupying  no  appreciable  volume.  All  this 
is  now  accepted  as  common  knowledge,  but  when  these 
papers  were  first  published  they  encountered  keen 
opposition. 

Another  research  I  made  in  this  little  laboratory  in 
Duke  Street.  This  resulted  in  establishing  the  existence 
of  an  entirely  new  class  of  salts  named  the  "nitro- 
prussides."  They  are  obtained  by  acting  upon  potassium 
prusside  with  nitric  acid.  They  are  beautiful  crystalline 
salts,  and  are  now  a  favourite  preparation  for  pupils 
engaged  in  laboratory  practice.  But  the  most  productive 
fruit  of  my  laboratory  at  that  time  was  the  discovery  of 
two  able  men,  who  have  added  much  to  the  science  of 
their  time.     One  of  my  assistants  was  a  young  German 


BEGINNING   OF  LONDON  LIFE.  93 

named  Kolbe.  He  had  a  true  chemical  genius,  and  I 
encouraged  him,  instead  of  wasting  his  time  as  a  mere 
assistant,  to  make  original  researches  for  himself,  and  he 
became  afterwards  the  great  chemical  professor  of  the 
University  of  Leipsic,  and  was  well  known  by  his 
numerous  works.  The  other  was  a  young  student, 
Frankland,  now  Sir  Edward  Frankland,1  whom  I  had 
afterwards  the  pleasure  of  seeing  as  my  successor  in 
the  School  of  Mines.  He  has  enriched  chemistry  by 
many  discoveries.  I  may  claim  with  some  pride  that 
many  eminent  chemists  have  been  evolved  from  my 
teaching,  among  whom  Professor  Dewar,  of  Cambridge, 
is  conspicuous. 

In  the  new  building  for  the  Geological  Museum  and 
its  kindred  subjects  we  found  every  means  for  developing 
the  institution.  The  director,  Sir  Henry  de  la  Beche,  was 
a  man  of  remarkable  ability.  He  was  a  well-known 
geologist,  and  author  of  the  work,  '  How  to  Observe 
Geology.'  As  an  administrator  he  was  admirable.  He 
had  brought  the  Geological  Survey  into  a  state  of 
efficiency,  and  was  now  occupied  in  forming  a  School  of 
Mines.  He  drew  around  him  a  staff  of  enthusiastic  and 
able  workers.  Andrew  Ramsay,  my  old  Glasgow  friend, 
had  charge  of  the  Geological  Survey.  Edward  Forbes, 
the  great  naturalist,  my  college  friend  in  Edinburgh,  was 
Professor  of  Palaeontology.  Dr  Percy,  the  author  of  an 
important  work  on  metallurgy,  was  professor  of  that 
subject.  Warrington  Smyth  was  Professor  of  Chemistry, 
furnished  with  an  excellent  laboratory.  To  visit  the 
school  became  a  fashion  among  men  of  leisure.  Besides 
my  regular  pupils,  I  had  in  one  year  the  late  Duke  of 
Marlborough,  afterwards  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  Lord 
Arthur  Hay,  who  became  the  Marquis  of  Tweeddale, 
several  Members  of  Parliament,  and  two  officers  of  the 
Guards.  The  mining  students  were  not  numerous,  but 
were  excellent  in  quality.  The  professors  gave  courses  of 
lectures  to  working  men  in  the  evening,  always  attended 
to  the  full  capacity  of  our  lecture  theatre.     This  school 

1  Sir  Edward  Frankland  died  August,  1899. 


94  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

still  continues  under  the  name  of  the  "  Normal  School  of 
Science,"  and  is  now  transferred  to  South  Kensington.  It 
has  had  a  continuation  of  able  professors,  among  whom  it 
is  only  necessary  to  mention  Huxley,  Frankland,  Guthrie, 
Lockyer,  Thorpe,  Riicker,  and  Japp. 

From    my    first    joining    the    Museum    of    Economic 
Geology  at  Craig's  Court,  till  the  close  of  my  connection 
with  its  developed  School  of  Mines  in  Jermyn  Street,  my 
laboratory  was  not  a  haven  of  rest  for  a  scientific  man. 
Unfortunately,  my  reputation  as  an  inquirer  into  public 
questions  continually  interfered  with  my  scientific  career, 
for  there  was  scarcely  a  month  in  which  the  Government 
did  not  demand  my  services.     On  arriving  in  London,  the 
first  demand  made  upon  me  was  to  report  on  the  state  of 
Buckingham  Palace,  and  also  on  the  condition  of  Eton 
College.    The  former  inquiry  was  specially  important,  as  it 
involved  the  health  of  the  Queen  and  her  young  family. 
The   condition   of  the   palace  was  then  so  bad  that  the 
Government  never  dared  to  publish  my  report.    At  that 
time  a  great  main  sewer  ran  through  the  courtyard,  and 
the  whole  palace  was  in  untrapped  connection  with  it. 
To  illustrate  this,  I  painted  a  small  room  on  the  basement 
floor  with  white  lead,  and  showed  that  it  was  blackened 
next     morning.       The     kitchens     were     furnished     with 
batteries  of  charcoal  fires  without  flues,  and  the  fumes 
went  up  to  the  royal  nurseries.     To  prove  this,  I  mixed 
pounded    pastilles    with    gunpowder,   and   exploded  the 
mixture    in    the    kitchens.      The   smell   of  the   pastilles 
pervaded    the    whole    house,   and    brought    down,   as   I 
wished,   the    high    court    officials   to   see   what   was   the 
matter.     The  architect  was  immediately  called  upon  to 
prepare    plans    for    putting    Buckingham    Palace    into    a 
proper  condition,  at  a  considerable  outlay,  and  although 
Parliament  tried  to  get  my  report,  it  was  considered  too 
frank  and  brutal  for  production,  as  I  treated  the  sanitary 
condition  of  the  palace  just  as  I  would  have  done  that  of 
any   other   house.      However,  the   evils   were   remedied. 
After  this  inquiry  I  was  incessantly  employed  by  public 
departments.     The  Board  of  Health  required  me  to  report 


BEGINNING   OF   LONDON   LIFE.  95 

on  graveyards,  and  to  analyse  all  the  water  proposed  for 
the  supply  of  towns.  The  Admiralty  placed  a  sum  of 
money  at  my  disposal  to  determine  the  best  coals  suited 
for  steam  navigation.  This  was  a  heavy  inquiry,  for  not 
only  had  all  the  chief  coals  in  the  kingdom  to  be  analysed 
and  their  calorific  values  determined,  but  we  also  had  to 
determine  their  evaporative  values  under  steam-boilers. 
During  this  inquiry  I  held  a  second  professorship  in  the 
College  of  Civil  Engineers  at  Putney,  and  the  practical 
experiments  with  boilers  were  made  at  that  place  under 
the  superintendence  of  Mr  John  Wilson,  who  afterwards 
became  Professor  of  Agriculture  in  Edinburgh.  The 
report  of  Sir  Henry  de  la  Beche  and  myself  on  the  coals 
suited  for  steam  navigation,  for  a  long  time,  and  perhaps 
even  now,  formed  the  basis  of  selection  for  fuel  for 
the  Navy. 

At  this  time  accidents  in  coal  mines  were  common  and 
serious.  Lyell  and  Faraday  were  appointed  Government 
Commissioners  to  inquire  into  their  causes,  and  made  a 
report.  Their  inquiry  was  a  short  one,  but  it  drew  attention 
to  the  recklessness  of  the  miners.  As  one  instance  of  this, 
Faraday  used  to  relate  that  he  and  Lyell  were  waiting  to 
see  how  the  coal  was  blasted  by  gunpowder,  and  they  sat 
down,  with  naked  candles  stuck  in  a  lump  of  clay  between 
their  legs,  until  the  taphole  was  finished.  Faraday  asked 
where  the  gunpowder  was  kept,  and  the  miner  replied, 
"  Maister,  that  be  the  bag  of  powder  which  you  are 
sitting  on."  Faraday  told  me  that  of  all  the  delicate  and 
responsible  experiments  which  he  ever  made,  the  raising 
of  that  candle  steadily  between  his  legs,  shaded  with  his 
hand  to  prevent  sparks  reaching  the  gunpowder,  was  the 
most  anxious  one.  I  once  encountered  a  case  of  like 
recklessness.  I  had  inspected  a  mine  apparently  quite 
free  from  gas,  and  congratulated  the  owner  on  its 
condition.  His  conscience  was  pricked,  for  he  confessed 
he  had  shown  me  only  the  good  parts  of  the  pit,  but  had 
not  taken  me  to  the  dangerous  "goafs  "  or  cavities  where 
the  fiery  gas  accumulated.  Into  one  of  these  he  took  me, 
first  extinguishing  my  candle,  and  dragging  his  own  close 


96  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

to  the  ground.  We  both  sat  down,  while  the  owner  01 
the  mine  slowly  raised  his  candle  till  the  flame  elongated 
and  a  blue  flickering  of  fire-damp  burned  round  its  edges. 
Holding  it  perfectly  steady,  he  calmly  said,  "One  inch 
higher,  and  you  and  I  would  be  blown  to  the  devil!" 
Needless  to  say  that  I  steadily  depressed  his  arm  and 
retreated  as  quickly  as  possible  to  a  purer  air. 

Soon  after  the  publication  of  Faraday  and  Lyell's  report 
a  terrible  explosion  took  place  at  Jarrow,  resulting,  I 
think,  in  forty  deaths.  The  Government  asked  De  la 
Beche  and  myself  to  visit  the  mine  to  report  upon  the 
causes  of  the  explosion.  De  la  Beche  was  unable  to  go, 
so  I  went  alone.  It  was  a  very  deep  mine,  with  many 
miles  of  underground  passages,  all  of  which  were  then  full 
of  fire-damp.  There  was  only  one  shaft,  and  the 
brattices,  or  wood  lining,  had  been  destroyed  by  the 
explosion,  so  that  neither  a  platform  nor  a  basket  could 
be  lowered.  There  had  been  no  ventilation  since  the 
accident,  and  therefore  there  was  no  possibility  of  clearing 
the  air-passages  from  the  fiery  gas.  The  viewer,  or 
manager,  of  the  mine,  while  expressing  his  willingness  to 
descend,  put  the  responsibility  upon  myself  and  upon  one 
of  the  geological  surveyors,  Mr  Williams,  who  volunteered 
to  join  me.  After  consultation,  a  stream  of  water  was 
turned  into  the  shaft  to  send  down  air  by  its  descent.  I 
confess  that  my  courage  required  screwing  up,  when  a 
rope  with  two  loops  was  produced,  and  I  was  asked  to 
put  one  leg  through  the  lower  one,  while  the  viewer  put 
his  through  the  one  above.  This  is  a  mode  of  descent 
well  known  to  miners,  but  I  had  never  seen  it,  and  was 
not  comfortable  in  its  use.  However,  we  were  pushed  oft 
the  bank,  and  were  very  slowly  lowered  down  the  mine, 
which  was  about  twice  as  deep  as  the  height  of  St.  Paul's 
Cathedral.  The  brattices  were  much  shattered,  and  we 
had  to  turn  our  lamps  on  these  to  see  that  the  rope  did 
not  slack  on  an  obstruction,  which  would  have  sent  us 
down  with  a  run. 

It  was  a  dreary  downward  journey,  with  a  cascade  of 
water   dashing  over  our  heads,  and  the  darkness  made 


BEGINNING   OF  LONDON  LIFE.  97 

more  dense  by  the  feeble  light  of  our  two  Davy  lamps. 
However,  every  journey  has  an  end,  and  we  reached  the 
bottom  in  safety.  Mr  Williams  and  a  volunteer  miner 
followed,  and  joined  us  at  the  bottom  of  the  pit.  All  the 
passages  were  filled  with  an  explosive  atmosphere  of  fire- 
damp mixed  with  air,  so  we  had  to  regulate  our  pace  by 
that  of  the  current  of  air  driven  down  by  the  cascade  of 
water.  There  was  no  difficulty  in  doing  this,  because 
when  we  went  too  fast  the  fire-damp  burned  inside  the 
Davy  lamps.  The  effect  of'  the  explosion  had  been 
terrific,  and  the  flame  must  have  burnt  some  time  in  the 
passages,  for  their  walls  were  coked  to  a  depth  of  a 
quarter  of  an  inch.  Even  during  our  inspection  the 
hissing  of  the  fire-damp  from  the  pores  of  the  coal  was 
an  unpleasant  sound.  An  inspection  under  such  circum- 
stances could  not  be  exhaustive,  but  we  made  it  as 
complete  as  possible.  On  returning  to  the  shaft  we  were 
again  drawn  up  by  the  loops  in  the  rope,  the  most 
uncomfortable  saddle  on  which  I  ever  rode.  At  the  top 
we  found  three  miners  in  working  dress,  who  told  us 
that  they  had  made  ready  to  search  for  our  bodies,  as 
they  did  not  expect  us  to  come  up  alive.  This  was  an 
uncomfortable  assurance,  but  it  was  made  in  a  brave 
and  kindly  spirit. 

At  that  time  the  composition  of  fire-damp  was  not 
accurately  known,  so  I  determined  to  collect  specimens  of 
it  from  various  mines  after  making  the  necessary  apparatus 
on  my  return  to  London.  I  succeeded  in  obtaining  a 
good  many  specimens,  and  published  the  analyses  of  them 
in  the  '  Records  of  the  School  of  Alines.'  The  main  part 
consisted,  as  was  well  known,  of  hydrogen  carbide,  but  it 
is  always  mixed  with  nitrogen,  a  small  proportion  of 
carbonic  acid  being  occasionally  present. 

As  I  shall  not  have  occasion  to  speak  of  mines  again,  I 
may  as  well  say  that  the  knowledge  of  them  thus  acquired 
stood  me  in  good  stead  many  years  afterwards.  A  great 
strike  of  colliers  was  imminent  in  the  Newcastle  district  in 
a  period  of  depression,  when  its  effects  would  have  been 
serious  to  the  poor  miners.     Masters  and  men  agreed  to 

H 


98  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

submit  the  dispute  to  my  arbitration.  At  that  time  I  was 
in  Brittany,  but  I  at  once  returned,  and  had  the  happiness 
to  make  an  award  which  averted  the  strike. 

It  will  be  seen  that  my  work  was  drifting  into  applied 
science.  Public  work  with  little  reference  to  science  was 
constantly  forced  upon  me.  Thus  I  had  to  report  on  the 
foul  state  of  the  Serpentine  in  Hyde  Park,  and  to  suggest 
remedies.  A  more  important  inquiry,  and  one  which 
proved  to  be  the  last  straw  to  break  the  back  of  the 
protective  duties  on  corn,  engaged  my  attention.  In  the 
autumn  of  1845  the  potato  rot  spread  rapidly  in  Ireland, 
and  engaged  the  anxious  attention  of  Sir  Robert  Peel's 
Government.  The  Prime  Minister  wished  to  consult  me 
upon  the  chances  of  the  famine,  and  invited  me  to  pay  a 
visit  at  Drayton  Manor.  On  the  day  after  my  arrival  we 
walked  in  the  garden  and  discussed  the  chances  of  a 
serious  famine.  I  gave  a  gloomy  opinion,  as  the  Irish  at 
that  time  lived  chiefly  on  the  potato,  and  there  was  little 
variation  of  crops  to  take  its  place.  He  told  me  that  he 
shared  my  apprehensions,  and  desired  to  know  the  true 
condition  of  the  potato  disease,  in  order  to  concert  proper 
measures  for  the  relief  of  the  people.  He  asked  whether 
I  would  go  over  to  Ireland,  and  desired  me  to  name  two 
men  in  whom  I  had  confidence,  to  act  on  a  Commission  of 
Inquiry.  At  luncheon  I  named  Professor  Lindley,  the 
eminent  botanist,  and  Sir  Robert  Kane,  the  head  of 
Queen's  College  at  Cork,  author  of  the  '  Industrial 
Resources  of  Ireland.'  I  went  up  to  London  the  same 
afternoon  to  see  Lindley,  and  next  day  we  started  for 
Ireland.  I  told  Sir  Robert  Peel  before  leaving  Drayton 
Manor  that  I  had  no  hope  of  suggesting  any  remedy  for 
the  disease,  and  that  all  I  really  expected  to  attain  was  a 
true  estimate  as  to  its  magnitude,  and  as  to  its  future 
consequences  on  the  population.  He  stated  that  he  did 
not  expect  more,  but  desired  that  I  should  write  to  him 
daily  as  to  the  information  which  we  collected.  It  is 
clear  now  why  this  was  urgent. 

It  was  impossible,  if  a  famine  were  imminent,  that  high 
protective  duties  on  the  food  of  the   people   should   be 


BEGINNING   OF   LONDON   LIFE.  99 

maintained,  and  Sir  Robert  Peel  was  then  in  the  act  of 
forming  that  high  resolve,  the  crowning  glory  of  his  life, 
that  he  would  abandon  all  the  old  traditions  of  the 
Conservative  party  of  which  he  was  the  leader,  and 
accept  the  views  of  the  Anti-Corn  Law  League  that  the 
bread  of  the  people  should  be  untaxed.  The  Commission 
of  Inquiry  did  little  to  stay  the  progress  of  the  disease, 
although  the  constabulary  reported  that  our  recommenda- 
tions for  storing  the  potatoes  led  to  a  lessening  of  the 
rapidity  with  which  they  were  attacked.  But  we 
obtained  too  full  confirmation  of  the  disastrous  character 
of  the  famine,  and  held  out  no  hope  that  the  results  on 
the  population  would  be  less  severe  than  had  been 
anticipated.  Indeed,  these  anticipations  were  too 
sanguine.  I  attended  a  committee  of  the  Cabinet  on 
my  return,  and  I  mentioned  my  fears  that  the  gravity 
of  the  situation  was  scarcely  realised  by  its  members. 
Sir  James  Graham,  the  Home  Secretary,  interrupted  me 
by  saying,  "  The  gravity  not  realised  !  I  believe  that 
Ireland  will  be  decimated  by  the  famine  ! "  I  replied, 
"  Your  estimate  justifies  my  remark,  for  if  you  add  forced 
emigration  to  actual  deaths  by  starvation  and  disease,  deci- 
mation does  not  represent  the  loss  of  population  which 
will  be  the  result  of  the  famine."  Unhappily,  this 
was  not  exaggerated.  The  population  of  Ireland  was 
then  8,250,000,  and  by  the  census  of  1851  it  had  fallen 
to  6,552,385. 

It  has  often  been  brought  as  an  accusation  against  Sir 
Robert  Peel  that  he  was  slow  to  recognise  the  magnitude 
of  the  calamity.  The  following  letter  to  me  before  I  left 
Ireland  shows  that  he  did  not  lose  a  single  day  after  the 
facts  were  established. 

Sir  Robert  Peel  to  Play  fair.  Whitehall,  29th  October,  1S45. 

My  dear  Sir, — I  am  indeed  sorry  that  you  are 
compelled  to  make  so  unfavourable  a  report,  but  the 
knowledge  of  the  whole  truth  is  one  element  of  security. 
I  lost  not  a  moment  in  directing  that  by  the  first 
opportunities  instruction  should  be  given  to  the  effect  you 


100  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

suggest  to  the  several  consular  authorities  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean, Portugal,  Spain,  etc. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Dr  Lyon  Playfair.  Robert  Peel. 

One  week  later,  the  6th  of  November,  Sir  Robert  Peel 
proposed  to  his  Cabinet  to  open  all  the  ports  for  the 
admission  of  grain  at  a  small  duty.  The  Cabinet  rejected 
his  advice,  and  the  responsibility  of  delay  rests  upon  the 
other  Ministers. 

The  famine  was  not  an  unmixed  evil  to  Ireland.  A  large 
portion  of  the  population  then  lived  mainly  on  potatoes, 
and  in  such  a  diet  there  was  not  a  sufficient  supply  of 
flesh  formers  for  a  full  day's  work.  Four  ounces  of  flesh 
formers  are  required  for  that  purpose,  and  to  obtain  it 
from  potatoes  alone  nearly  10  lb.  must  be  consumed.  In 
bulk  this  is  beyond  the  capacity  of  the  human  stomach. 
At  the  most  5  lb.  formed  a  full  diet,  and  thus  an 
Irishman's  labour,  fed  on  potatoes,  was  worth  only  half 
the  wages  of  a  well-fed  workman.  In  reality  their  wages 
then  did  not  exceed  one  shilling  per  day.  The  famine 
destroyed  their  reliance  on  the  potato  as  a  staple  food, 
and  compelled  the  Irish  to  live  on  more  nutritious  kinds  ol 
diet.  Then  they  became  capable  of  giving  more  labour, 
and  their  wages  rose  in  a  corresponding  degree.  As  the 
population  lessened,  the  production  of  potatoes  per  acre 
decreased.  Before  the  famine  I  constantly  found  the 
produce  to  be  six  or  seven  tons  per  acre,  and  perhaps  the 
average  produce  was  about  five  tons.  At  the  present  day 
the  average  produce  of  potatoes  in  Ireland  is  only  half 
that,  or  2 1  tons.  The  reason  for  the  decline  is  curious. 
It  is  a  canon  in  agriculture  that  the  best  manure  for  any 
crop  is  the  refuse  of  the  animal  which  lives  upon  it,  because 
all  the  mineral  ingredients  taken  away  by  the  crop  are 
returned  in  due  proportion  to  the  soil.  When  the  Irish 
lived  on  potatoes  they  manured  the  land  with  their 
household  refuse.  But  when  the  people  emigrated  they 
took  their  manurial  value  with  them,  and  the  diminished 
population  did  not  supply  sufficient  manure  for  the  crops. 


BEGINNING    OF   LONDON   LIFE.  101 

In  Great  Britain  the  deficiency  is  supplied  by  the 
importation  of  foreign  manures,  but  in  Ireland  this  is  not 
done.  Consequently,  though  the  crop  of  potatoes  in  Great 
Britain  remains  as  large  as  it  was  before  the  year  of  famine, 
that  of  Ireland  has  lessened  to  half  the  former  amount. 

In  the  year  1846  I  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret 
Oakes,  the  daughter  of  Mr  Oakes  of  Riddings  House,  near 
Alfreton,  at  whose  works  Bunsen  and  I  made  our  in- 
vestigation into  the  chemical  operations  of  blast  furnaces 
for  the  production  of  iron.  Unhappily,  my  wife  died  a 
few  years  after  our  marriage,  leaving  two  children.  The 
younger  of  these  is  now  Major  George  Playfair  of  the 
Royal  Artillery,  and  the  elder,  Jessie,  first  married  Captain 
Peel,  who  was  the  son  of  Mr  Peel,  long  Member  of  Parlia- 
ment for  Tarn  worth.  He  was  cousin  to  Sir  Robert  Peel, 
the  Prime  Minister,  to  whom  I  have  had  so  many  occa- 
sions to  refer.  Some  years  after  Captain  Peel's  death  my 
daughter  married  Colonel,  now  General,  Robert  Macgregor 
Stewart,  C.B.,  A.D.C.  to  the  Queen. 

The  British  Association  met  at  Southampton  this  year 
(1846),  and  was  attended  by  the  illustrious  Danish 
philosopher,  Oersted,  who  divides  with  Faraday  the  glory 
of  establishing  the  science  of  electro-magnetism.  Oersted 
made  the  original  discovery,  which  he  announced  in  the 
following  words  : — "  There  is  always  a  magnetic  circula- 
tion round  the  electric  conductor,  and  the  electric 
element,  in  accordance  with  a  certain  law,  always 
exercises  determined  and  similar  impressions  on  the 
direction  of  the  magnetic  needle,  even  when  it  does  not 
pass  through  the  needle,  but  near  it."  In  this  pregnant 
sentence  lies  the  origin  of  the  electric  telegraph.  Oersted 
was  a  man  of  peculiar  fascination,  being  a  poet  as  well  as 
a  philosopher.  He  was  forty-two  years  older  than 
myself,  but  we  formed  a  warm  friendship,  and  he 
corresponded  with  me  during  the  few  remaining  years  of 
his  life.  He  invited  me  to  visit  Copenhagen,  so  as  to  take 
part  in  his  jubilee  in  November,  1850,  for  the  celebration 
of  his  fiftieth  year  in  connection  with  the  University,  and 
he  died  in  the  spring  of  the  following  year. 


102  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

It  may  be  interesting  here  to  quote  a  letter  which  I 
wrote  to  Mr  James  Young  in  1847,  because  it  led  to  the 
establishment  of  one  of  the  greatest  of  industries — that  of 
petroleum  and  its  products. 

26,  Castelnad  Villas,  Barnes,  Surrey. 

Play  fair  to  Mr  James  Young.  3rd  December,  1847. 

My  dear  Young, — You  know  that  mineral  naphtha 
is  a  rare  natural  product,  no  spring  of  it  occurring  in  this 
country,  all  being  imported  from  the  Continent  or  Persia. 
Lately  a  spring  of  this  valuable  product  has  been 
discovered  on  an  estate  belonging  to  my  brother-in-law 
(Mr  Oakes),  near  Alfreton,  Derbyshire.  It  yields  at 
present  about  300  gallons  daily.  The  naphtha  is  about 
the  consistence  of  thin  treacle,  and  with  one  distillation  it 
gives  a  clear,  colourless  liquid  of  brilliant  illuminating 
power.  It  dissolves  caoutchouc  easily,  ^/ly  brother 
intends  to  set  up  stills  for  it  immediately  ;  but,  as  they  are 
iron  masters,  this  would  be  a  separate  industry,  so  I  have 
advised  them,  if  possible,  to  sell  the  naphtha  in  the  crude 
state  to  chemical  manufacturers,  and  thus  avoid  carrying 
on  an  industry  foreign  to  their  occupation.  Does  this 
possibly  come  within  the  province  of  your  works  ?  If  it 
do,  I  will  send  you  a  gallon  for  examination.  Perhaps 
you  could  make  a  capital  thing  out  of  this  new  industry, 
and  enable  my  friends  to  do  the  same.  You  are  aware 
that  naphtha  is  now  largely  used  for  adding  to  the 
illuminating  power  of  gas,  and  that  the  tar  residue  is  a 
valuable  product. 

Mr  Young  contracted  to  take  all  the  product  of  this 
spring,  out  of  which  he  manufactured  illuminating  oils  and 
lubricating  oil.  One  cold  day  Mr  Young  brought  to  me 
the  oil  in  a  turbid  condition,  to  ask  the  cause  of  the 
cloudiness.  It  was  obvious  that  it  was  due  to  the  then 
rare  substance  called  paraffin.  He  extracted  enough,  at 
my  suggestion,  to  make  two  candles,  with  which  I  lighted 
my  desk  at  the  Royal  Institution  during  a  lecture  on 
petroleum  and  its  products.     These  two  candles,  which 


BEGINNING   OF  LONDON   LIFE.  103 

then  cost  about  twenty  shillings  each,  are  the  fathers  of 
the  great  paraffin  industry,  and  of  the  cheap  candles  now 
found  in  every  house,  just  as  the  small  spring  of  naphtha 
in  Derbyshire  became  the  parent  of  the  gigantic  petroleum 
industry  all  over  the  world.  At  the  Glasgow  Exhibition  of 
1888,  Young's  Paraffin  Oil  Company  had  a  large  display, 
in  which  they  showed  the  original  letter  given  above,  with 
a  bust  of  myself  by  Brodie  in  paraffin  !  My  friend  Young 
made — as  he  richly  deserved  to  do— a  large  fortune  out  of 
the  industry. 

From  1847  to  1849  my  life  was  that  of  a  professor  in 
the  Royal  School  of  Mines,  with  little  incident.  It  is  true 
that  even  in  these  years  the  Government  required  my 
services  on  Royal  Commissions.  In  1848-9  a  serious 
epidemic  of  cholera  prevailed  in  the  United  Kingdom.  I 
offered  myself  as  a  volunteer  to  the  overworked  Board 
of  Health,  and  went  to  several  large  towns  to  organise 
house-to-house  visitations.  After  putting  the  town  as 
much  as  possible  in  a  good  sanitary  condition,  the  civic 
authorities  were  induced  to  divide  the  town  into  districts, 
and  to  visit  each  house  daily  to  ascertain  whether  there 
were  any  premonitory  symptoms  of  diarrhoea.  The 
visitor  was  entrusted  with  simple  medicines  to  check 
diarrhoea,  and  then  reported  the  cases  to  the  Health 
Officer.  Where  these  precautions  were  carried  out  the 
cholera  made  little  headway,  and  was  shown  to  be  a 
disease  which  could  be  largely  prevented,  though  it  was 
difficult  to  combat  if  it  took  root  in  a  locality. 

In  1848  I  was  elected  a  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society,  an 
honour  which  is  always  appreciated  by  workers  in  science. 
This  year,  1848,  will  be  remembered  for  the  revolutionary 
disturbances  in  Europe.  At  one  time  it  appeared  as  if 
England  would  be  drawn  into  the  revolutionary  whirlpool. 
The  great  Chartist  demonstration  on  the  10th  of  April, 
1848,  was  formidable.  The  Chartists  assembled  in 
enormous  numbers  to  march  to  the  House  of  Commons 
across  Westminster  Bridge,  but  the  Duke  of  Wellington 
had  made  such  skilful  arrangement  of  the  troops, 
although  they  were  chiefly  concealed  from  public  view, 


104  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

that  the    Chartists   recognised  the   fact  that  they  were 
defeated. 

The  late  Lord  Salisbury  was  then  Aide-de-Camp  to  the 
Duke,  and  he  told  me  that  when  the  Chartists  began  their 
march  he  galloped  in  great  anxiety  to  the  Duke  at  the 
Horse  Guards,  and  found  him  reading  the  morning  paper. 
He  lifted  his  head  for  a  moment,  and  said,  "  How  far  are 
they  now  from  the  bridge  ? "  (Westminster  Bridge). 
Lord  Salisbury  replied,  "  One  mile  and  a  half,  sir."  The 
great  Duke  said,  "Tell  me  when  they  are  within  one 
quarter  of  a  mile,"  and  he  became  absorbed  in  his  paper. 
The  Marquis  of  Salisbury  went  back  to  observe.  When 
the  procession  reached  the  appointed  distance  he  galloped 
back  to  the  Horse  Guards,  and  again  found  the  iron  Duke 
quietly  reading.  "Well?"  said  the  Duke.  Lord  Salis- 
bury reported  that  the  procession  was  breaking  up,  and 
that  only  small  detached  bodies  of  Chartists  were  crossing 
the  bridge.  "  Exactly  what  I  expected,"  said  the  Duke, 
and  returned  to  his  paper.  Immense  preparations, 
however,  had  been  made  for  that  day.  Many  thousand 
civilians  were  sworn  in  as  special  constables,  and  furnished 
with  batons.  Even  the  future  Napoleon  III.  was  enrolled 
as  a  private  constable.  Sir  Henry  de  la  Beche  and  I 
were  ordered  to  patrol  Whitehall,  and  to  pass  through 
Scotland  Yard  to  the  Strand.  We  felt  the  absurdity  of 
having  to  take  charge  of  the  headquarters  of  the  police,  so 
we  concealed  our  batons  under  our  coats.  Our  orders 
were  peremptory  that  we  were  to  take  into  custody 
any  persons  carrying  arms.  We  met  a  pretty  nursemaid 
with  a  child  of  four  years  of  age  carrying  a  drum  and  tin 
sword,  and,  much  to  the  amusement  of  the  former,  as  well 
as  of  the  police,  we  took  them  into  police  headquarters. 

After  that  we  received  permission  to  withdraw  from  our 
absurd  patrol. 

In  1848,  and  for  some  years  previously,  I  eked  out  a 
small  income  by  writing  leaders  for  various  newspapers, 
and  used  to  write  for  the  '  Morning  Chronicle,'  the  '  Daily 
News,'  and  the  'Athenaeum.'  The  'Daily  News'  was  an 
energetic  paper,  and  had  acquired  much  celebrity  for  its 


BEGINNING   OF   LONDON   LIFE.  105 

early  Continental  news.  It  had  already  an  efficient 
correspondent  in  Paris,  but  its  editor  thought  I  might  be 
useful  in  gathering  information  during  the  great  week  of 
insurrection  and  hard  fighting  in  June,  1848.  The  fighting 
had  been  going  on  for  two  days  before  I  started  for  Paris 
with  some  friends.  We  were  stopped  at  Amiens,  as  all 
trains  were  taken  up  by  troops  hastening  to  Paris. 
However,  we  made  friends  with  a  general,  and  went  up 
with  a  long  train  filled  with  troops,  who  sang  patriotic 
songs  all  through  the  day.  On  approaching  Paris  we 
heard  rumours  that  the  station  was  in  possession  of  the 
insurgents,  and  that  artillery  was  in  position  to  fire  on  the 
train.  The  train,  therefore,  proceeded  cautiously  until  the 
rumour  was  found  to  be  false.  Strangers  could  get  little 
view  of  the  fighting  during  its  course,  because  the  sentinels 
would  not  let  them  approach  near  the  contested  parts  of 
Paris.  In  fact,  my  visit  would  have  proved  without 
incident  had  it  not  been  for  an  accident.  I  had  gone 
across  the  Seine  in  the  afternoon  to  inquire  of  an  English 
lady,  who  was  married  to  a  French  officer,  whether  she 
had  news  of  her  husband,  who  was  attached  to  the  staff  of 
General  Cavaignac.  As  it  became  dark  before  my  return, 
the  sentinels  at  the  bridge  refused  to  allow  me  to  pass. 
Ultimately,  an  officer  of  high  rank  gave  me  the  requisite 
permission.  I  had  heard  musketry  firing  in  the  Place 
du  Carrousel,  which  I  had  to  traverse  on  my  way  to 
the  Hotel  Meurice.  The  cellars  of  the  Tuileries  had  been 
overcrowded  with  prisoners,  who  were  being  removed, 
when  they  seized  the  piled-up  muskets  of  the  soldiers  and 
tried  to  escape.     The  former  were  soon  shot. 

All  the  streets  leading  out  of  the  Place  had  lines  of 
sentinels  across  them,  and  in  trying  to  pass  one  of  these  I 
was  arrested  and  taken  to  the  guardhouse.  The  officers 
there  were  polite,  and  brought  me  coffee,  and  stated  that 
they  would  represent  my  detention  to  the  general  on  his 
arrival.  The  latter,  however,  was  more  suspicious  of  my 
intentions  than  his  officers,  and  was  inclined  to  treat  me 
as  an  insurgent.  I  was  told  to  shut  my  hands,  and  then 
to   open   them,  but    they   did   not   smell    of  gunpowder. 


106  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Fortunately,  I  had  a  letter  in  my  pocket  from  Lord 
Palmerston  to  the  English  Ambassador  which  I  had  not 
delivered.  I  handed  this  to  the  general,  who,  luckily, 
could  not  read  English,  for  the  subject  of  the  letter  was  to 
ask  the  ambassador  to  assist  me  in  finding  out  what  was 
the  composition  of  the  "  boulet  asphyxien  "  of  the  French 
army.  The  letter  was  viewed  as  a  credential,  and  a  guard 
was  given  me  to  take  me  in  safety  to  the  hotel. 

For  the  week  that  we  were  in  Paris  the  only  meat  at 
the  hotels  consisted  of  horseflesh,  though  I  do  not  think 
any  of  the  guests  knew  this  at  the  time.  Except  that  I 
got  a  good  knowledge  as  to  how  barricades  are  built,  and 
how  excited  a  population  becomes  in  an  insurrection,  I 
learned  few  lessons  in  Paris. 

In  the  year  1848  I  used  frequently  to  meet  Louis  Blanc, 
and,  like  all  who  knew  him,  admired  his  honesty  and 
simplicity  of  character.  One  day  I  found  him  highly 
excited.  He  had  been  summoned  to  Brighton  by 
telegraph  to  see  an  important  person  who  might  be 
able  to  do  good  to  France.  With  him  he  had  a  very 
satisfactory  interview,  and  engaged  to  meet  him  that 
night  in  Leicester  Square  at  the  hotel  of  the  "  Prince  de 
Galles."     This  personage  was  Louis  Napoleon. 

On  going  to  the  hotel,  considerable  delay  was  shown  in 
admitting  Louis  Blanc  to  the  room  of  the  Prince,  and 
during  the  period  of  his  waiting  many  persons  saw  and 
conversed  with  the  well-known  Republican.  At  last,  on 
his  being  admitted,  the  Prince  talked  vague  generalities 
altogether  different  from  the  conversation  at  Brighton. 
Louis  Blanc  saw  that  he  had  been  duped,  because  the 
purpose  of  this  public  visit  was  to  show  that  there  was  an 
understanding  between  the  Prince  and  the  leaders  of  the 
active  Republicans,  so  as  to  secure  the  votes  of  the  latter 
in  the  pending  election  of  the  President.  Louis  Blanc 
told  me  that  he  expressed  his  indignation  in  no  measured 
terms,  but  the  astute  Prince  simply  smiled  at  the  success 
of  his  trick. 

Little  of  any  interest  took  place  in  1849  to  which  I  need 
allude,  but  in  1850  circumstances  occurred  which  plunged 


BEGINNING   OF   LONDON   LIFE.  107 

me  again  into  public  work,  and  ultimately  withdrew  me 
from  my  position  as  a  professor. 

Very  few  additions  need  be  made  to  this  chapter  of 
Playfair's  Reminiscences.  He  had  entered  upon  the  full 
service  of  the  State,  and  was  now,  as  he  has  told  us, 
constantly  employed  in  connection  with  public  inquiries 
relating  either  to  the  practical  application  of  science  to 
agriculture  or  other  national  industries,  or  to  the  improve- 
ment of  our  sanitary  system.  Even  at  the  Museum  of 
Geology  he  discovered  that  he  could  render  service  in  the 
latter  field,  and  we  find  him  in  correspondence  with  Sir 
Henry  de  la  Beche  on  the  subject  of  the  water  supply  of 
Liverpool  as  early  as  1846. 

"The  whole  matter  of  the  supply  of  water,"  wrote  De 
la  Beche,  "  is  the  application  of  geology  and  chemistry  to 
the  useful  purposes  of  life,  and  we  could  prevent  much 
public  loss  by  attention  to  it.  This  inquiry  (the  water 
supply  of  Liverpool)  is  precisely  the  thing  that  the 
combined  efforts  of  the  Geological  Survey  and  the 
Museum  may  be  brought  to  bear  upon  ;  and  if  it  be 
altogether  rejected  by  us,  the  power  of  showing  the  good 
that  we  could  effect  in  this  way  may  be  long  postponed." 

Every  day  made  it  clearer  to  Playfair  that  his  work 
lay  in  this  practical  application  of  science  to  the  manifold 
wants  of  the  community. 

During  Playfair's  visit  to  Ireland,  for  the  purpose  of 
collecting  information  with  regard  to  the  potato  famine, 
he  received  several  letters  from  Sir  Robert  Peel,  all 
written  throughout  by  Peel  himself,  and  affording  proof  of 
the  intense  interest  which  the  Prime  Minister  felt  in  the 
condition  of  the  distressed  country.  The  letter  in  which 
Peel  accepted  Playfair's  advice  as  to  the  action  to  be 
taken  has  been  printed  on  a  previous  page.  Peel  was, 
however,  anxious  to  have  a  personal  conference  with  him. 


108  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

Sir  Robert  Peel  to  Play/air.      Whitehall,  November  10th,  1845. 

My  dear  Sir, — Will  you  be  good  enough,  on  the 
receipt  of  this  letter,  to  see  Sir  Thomas  Fremantle,  and 
ascertain  whether  it  is  the  wish  of  the  Lord-Lieutenant 
that  you  should  remain  in  Dublin  for  any  longer  period. 
If  it  is  not,  I  think  you  had  better  repair  to  London 
without  delay  for  the  purpose  of  reporting  to  Sir  James 
Graham,  or  to  me,  for  the  information  of  the  Government, 
the  result  of  your  observations  in  the  country  parts  of 
Ireland,  and  your  latest  impressions  with  regard  to  the 
present  state  of  the  potato  crop,  and  the  prospects  for  the 
future.  We  are  to  have  an  interview  with  Professor 
Lindley  this  day.  Mr  Twistleton  will  not  leave  London 
before  Saturday  next,  and  you  may,  therefore,  unless  the 
Lord-Lieutenant  wishes  you  to  remain  in  Ireland,  have  the 
opportunity,  by  returning  to  London,  of  personally 
communicating  with  me  on  various  matters  before  his 
departure. 

Believe  me,  my  dear  Sir, 

Very  faithfully  yours, 

Robert  Peel. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THE    GREAT    EXHIBITION. 

Becoming  a  Publicist — Playfair's  Work  as  a  Special  Commissioner  of  the 
185 1  Exhibition.  Autobiography:  Introduced  to  the  Prince  Consort 
by  Sir  Robert  Peel :  Sir  Henry  Cole  :  Preparing  a  New  Classification 
for  the  Exhibition :  A  Tour  through  the  Manufacturing  Districts : 
Sir  Joseph  Paxton :  The  Exhibition  opened  :  Superintending  the 
Awards  of  the  Juries :  The  Exhibitor  and  the  Queen  :  The  Com- 
missioners received  by  Louis  Napoleon  :  Appointed  a  C.B.  and  a 
Gentleman  Usher  to  Prince  Albert  :  The  Crystal  Palace  :  An  Episcopal 
Objection  to  Undraped  Statues.  Correspondence  with  the  Prince 
Consort — Investing  the  Exhibition  Surplus — Playfair's  Part  in  the 
Negotiations — The  Scheme  described — Appointed  Secretary  of  the 
Science  and  Art  Department — Organising  the  Royal  College  of 
Science — A  Member  of  the  Athenaeum. 

In  the  year  1850  Playfair  entered  definitely  upon  that 
which  was  to  be,  in  many  respects,  the  leading  work  of  his 
lifetime.  Up  to  this  point,  although  he  had  been  brought 
into  contact  with  men  so  eminent  as  Sir  Robert  Peel,  as 
well  as  with  the  leading  men  of  science  of  his  time,  his 
work  had  been  confined  to  his  own  special  branch  of 
study,  and  it  was  as  a  man  of  science  only  that  he  was 
known  to  the  public.  But  the  impression  he  had  made 
upon  Sir  Robert  Peel  was  not  that  of  the  mere  student 
and  investigator  of  scientific  facts.  The  great  statesman 
had  discovered  that  Playfair  was,  above  all  things,  a 
practical  man  ;  that  he  possessed  tact  in  a  degree  quite 
unusual,  not  only  among  men  of  science,  but  among  men 
of  the  world  ;  that  he  was  clear-headed,  industrious,  a 
master   of    detail,   and    an    enthusiast    in    any   task    he 


110  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

undertook.  Above  all,  Sir  Robert  Peel  had  found  that 
Playfair  possessed  a  wonderful  power  of  surmounting 
difficulties  that  would  have  proved  formidable  to  most 
men.  It  was  these  qualities,  even  more  than  his 
undoubted  learning  in  chemistry,  that  brought  Playfair, 
in  the  year  1850,  into  the  full  service  of  the  public. 

This  was  the  year  when  the  Great  Exhibition  of  185 1 — 
in  many  respects  the  greatest  of  all  exhibitions — was  in 
active  preparation.  In  the  next  instalment  which  I  shall 
give  of  Playfair's  own  Reminiscences,  the  story  of  that 
Exhibition  and  of  his  connection  with  it  will  be  told  by 
himself.  But  the  narrative  is  incomplete  in  many 
respects.  Above  all,  it  is  incomplete  in  its  failure  to  do 
justice  to  the  extent  of  the  services  which  the  writer 
rendered  in  bringing  the  great  enterprise  to  a  successful 
issue.  The  Exhibition  of  1851  was  not  an  incident  that, 
having  attracted  the  attention  of  the  world  for  a  few 
months,  passed  forthwith  into  oblivion.  It  was  the 
starting-point  in  the  modern  history  of  English  manufac- 
tures and  arts.  Even  more  was  it  the  starting-point  in 
scientific  education  in  this  country.  Not  only  did  it  give 
an  enormous  impetus  to  the  movement  in  favour  of  the 
reform  of  our  industrial  methods,  but  it  furnished  means 
by  which  that  movement  has  since  been  carried  forward 
with  a  success  that  has  revolutionised  our  system  of 
technical  instruction.  "  The  Commissioners  of  the  1851 
Exhibition"  is  a  phrase  which  is  now  familiar  to  every- 
body, and  it  is  one  that  is  associated  with  the  origin  and 
development  of  some  of  our  most  important  institutions 
for  practical  teaching.  The  1851  Commissioners  may 
almost  be  called  the  "good  fairies  "  who  have  secured  for 
English  industry  and  English  art  the  position  which  they 
now  hold  in  the  world.  From  1850  down  to  1895 
Playfair  was  constantly  associated  with  the  labours  of  this 
body.     More  than  almost  any  other  man,  he  represented 


THE   GREAT   EXHIBITION.  Ill 

its  spirit  and  helped  on  its  work.  Before  the  story  of 
his  life  is  brought  to  a  close,  the  reader  will  see  how 
important  and  valuable  were  the  services  which  he 
rendered  to  the  Commissioners,  and  through  the  Commis- 
sioners to  the  public  at  large.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to 
say  that  after  1850  this  was,  upon  the  whole,  the  most 
useful  of  all  the  tasks  to  which  Playfair  devoted  his 
superabundant  energy  and  his  unique  talents. 

I  shall  leave  him  to  tell  for  himself  the  story  of  the 
manner  in  which  he  first  became  connected  with  the 
project  of  the  Great  Exhibition.  It  is  only  necessary  at 
this  point  to  touch  upon  its  important  bearing  upon  his 
own  career.  The  first  consequence  of  his  new  position  as 
a  member  of  the  Commission  for  the  Exhibition  was  to 
bring  him  into  close  contact  with  the  Prince  Consort. 
Playfair  has  done  justice  in  his  own  writings  to  the 
exalted  mind  of  a  prince  whose  character  and  services  his 
adopted  country  has  not  even  yet  fully  appreciated.  But 
it  was  not  only  with  the  Prince  Consort  that  Playfair  was 
brought  in  contact  by  his  work  in  connection  with  the 
Exhibition.  Lord  Granville,  who,  as  President  of  the 
Board  of  Trade,  played  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  great 
enterprise,  was  thrown  into  close  association  with  him,  and 
between  the  two  men  a  warm  friendship  sprang  up,  which 
only  ended  with  death.  Many  eminent  politicians  of  both 
parties  were  associated  with  the  preparations  for  the 
Exhibition,  and  Playfair's  circle  of  acquaintances  in  1850 
thus  became  greatly  enlarged.  In  short,  he  emerged  from 
the  relative  obscurity  of  a  man  of  science  engaged  in  the 
work  of  a  public  department,  and  came  into  the  full  blaze 
of  light  that  beats  upon  those  men  who  are  actively 
engaged  in  national  affairs  of  the  widest  interest.  It 
is  time,  however,  to  give  Playfair's  own  account  of  the 
Great  Exhibition,  and  his  share  in  its  success. 


112  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY     CONTINUED. — V. 
1850  to  1851. 

Great  preparations  were  now  being  made  for  the  Great 
Exhibition,  which  was  to  open  in  May,  1851.  I  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  inception  or  original  preparations 
for  this  undertaking.  Various  persons  claim  the  merit  of 
suggesting  that  an  Exhibition  which  was  at  first  started  as 
one  for  national  industries  should  be  made  international, 
and  embrace  the  manufactures  of  all  nations.  My  own 
belief  is  that  the  suggestion  originated  with  the  Prince 
Consort  in  consultation  with  Sir  Henry  Cole.  The 
Society  of  Arts  organised  a  committee  to  carry  it  out,  the 
active  members  being  Sir  H.  Cole,  Sir  Went  worth  Dilke, 
Mr  Fuller,  and  Mr  Scott  Russell,  the  eminent  naval 
architect  and  engineer.  It  was  soon  found  that  the 
undertaking  was  too  great  for  management  by  the  Society 
of  Arts,  and  a  Royal  Commission  was  issued  containing 
the  most  eminent  statesmen  of  both  political  parties. 
Outside  this  Commission  there  was  an  executive  com- 
mittee, chiefly  composed  of  the  men  already  mentioned 
as  having  been  selected  by  the  Society  of  Arts.  I  was  not 
a  member  of  either  body,  and  only  interested  myself  in 
the  great  undertaking  as  one  of  the  general  public.  The 
industrial  classes  hung  back,  and  did  not  give  it  that 
support  which  was  absolutely  necessary  for  its  success. 
The  Government  became  anxious,  as  the  Prince  Consort 
was  deeply  pledged  for  its  success,  and  the  Queen  was 
naturally  uneasy.  The  Prime  Minister,  Lord  John  Russell, 
had  anxious  consultations  with  his  colleagues,  and  Lord 
Granville  was  deputed  to  enter  into  negotiations  with  me 
to  become  "  Special  Commissioner  "  and  a  member  of  the 
Executive  Committee. 

The  purpose  of  this  appointment  was  to  have  a  member 
of  the  Executive  in  attendance  at  the  meetings  of  the 
Royal  Commission,  so  as  to  keep  the  Consultative  Com- 
mission and  the  Executive  en  rapport.     I  pointed  out  how 


THE   GREAT   EXHIBITION.  113 

difficult  it  would  be  to  work  under  such  an  arrangement, 
as  it  would  lead  to  perpetual  jealousies.     I  had  another 
objection,  that  it  would  remove  me  for  two  years  from  my 
scientific  duties,  and  would  probably  change  my  whole 
course  in  life,  by  making  me  a  public  man  rather  than  a 
scientific  professor.     These  objections  received  the  support 
of  Sir  Henry  de  la  Beche,  my  immediate  chief,  and  of  all 
the  bod)7  of  professors  at  the  School  of  Mines,  who  did 
not  wish  their  educational  course  to  be  weakened  by  my 
withdrawal.     Lord  Granville,  whom  I  then  knew  for  the 
first  time,  but  who  afterwards  became  my  valued  friend, 
was  much  disappointed  at  the  failure  of  his  negotiations. 
Sir   Robert   Peel,  who  was   a  general   supporter  of  the 
Government,   and   very   anxious   for   the   success   of  the 
Exhibition,  then   urged   that   he   had   a   claim  upon  my 
services,  on  account  of  our  past  relations.     This  was  an 
argument  which  I  could  not  resist,  as  I  owed  everything 
to  his  kindness.     He  then  took  me  to  the  Prince  Consort, 
expressing  his  entire  confidence  in  me,  and  assuring  the 
Prince   that   he   would   find   me   able   to   carry   out  the 
duties  which  were  proposed.     I  had  only  on  one  previous 
occasion  seen  the  Prince  Consort.     His  Royal  Highness 
had  invented  a  method  of  infiltration  for  sewage,  so  as  to 
keep  back  the  fertile  ingredients  and  allow  the  effluent 
water    to    pass  away.       Sir    Robert    Peel    had    advised 
the   Prince,  before  publishing  this  invention,  to   explain 
it    to    me,    and    to    be    guided    by    my    opinion    as   to 
its  merits.     This  interview  had  taken   place  before  these 
negotiations    about    the    Exhibition,    and    I    fancy    now 
that  this  reference  to  me  was  chiefly  to  let  the  Prince 
see    the    man    who,    the   Government    and    Sir    Robert 
thought,   should  be  engaged  to   co-operate  with  him  in 
the   difficult  task   of  carrying   out   a  great  International 
Exhibition. 

At  our  second  interview  the  Prince  explained  all  the 
difficulties  which  were  then  experienced,  and  his  con- 
fidence that  they  could  be  surmounted  if  the  Royal 
Commission  had  the  aid  of  a  member  of  the  Executive  in 
whom  they  had  entire  confidence.     I  again  pointed  out 


114  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

how  difficult  it  would  be  for  me  to  be  in  a  different 
position  from  the  other  members  of  the  Executive,  but 
placed  myself  at  the  disposal  of  the  Royal  President. 

I  made  a  condition  with  Sir  Robert  Peel  that  if  I 
accepted  office  he  would  permit  me  to  consult  him  in 
any  serious  difficulties.  Many  of  these  occurred,  and  he 
encouraged  me  to  visit  him.  Some  of  them  were  with  the 
large  manufacturing  communities,  which  desired  their  own 
conditions,  not  always  in  the  interests  of  the  public.  On 
these  occasions  Sir  Robert  Peel  and  Lord  Granville  used 
to  be  present  at  the  deputations,  and  aided  much  by  their 
tact  and  sagacity  in  meeting  or  refusing  these  requests. 
On  the  morning  of  the  27th  of  June,  1850,  I  had  a  long 
interview  with  Sir  Robert  Peel  on  the  affairs  of  the 
Exhibition,  and  in  the  afternoon  all  England  knew  of  the 
accident  which  led  to  the  speedy  death  of  that  great  man, 
perhaps  the  greatest  Parliamentarian  that  England  ever 
had.  I  mourned  with  the  public,  but  I  had  also  to  mourn 
the  loss  of  one  who  had  long  honoured  me  with  his 
friendship. 

The  mainspring  of  the  Exhibition  from  first  to  last  was 
Sir  Henry  Cole.  He  was  a  man  of  remarkable  energy 
and  ability,  and  had  no  other  object  in  regard  to  any  work 
in  which  he  was  engaged  than  the  best  method  of  ensuring 
its  success.  He  has  often  been  accused  of  working  with 
selfish  motives.  Never  was  an  accusation  more  un- 
founded. The  public  good  was  always  the  uppermost — I 
might  almost  say  the  onty — motive  in  his  mind.  He  was 
constantly  misjudged,  because  his  modes  of  work  were  not 
always  on  the  surface.  If  he  came  to  an  obstacle,  it  was 
his  delight  to  tunnel  under  it  in  secret,  and  unexpectedly 
come  out  at  the  other  side.  His  purposes  were,  therefore, 
not  unfrequently  misunderstood,  and  when  I  joined  the 
Executive  there  was  much  want  of  confidence  between  it 
and  the  Royal  Commission.  This  was  unjust  to  Cole, 
with  whom  I  was  constantly  associated  to  the  end  of 
his  life,  and  for  whom  I  had  a  sincere  respect. 

When  I  joined  the  Executive  of  the  Exhibition,  Sir 
Henry    Cole    scarcely    knew    me,   and,   like    the    other 


THE   GREAT   EXHIBITION.  115 

members,  was  naturally  displeased  that  I  was  placed  in  a 
position  of  confidence  superior  to  theirs.  On  the  second 
day  after  my  appointment,  I  met  Sir  Henry  Cole  in 
Whitehall,  at  the  door  of  the  Home  Office.  He  told  me 
frankly  that  he  was  going  to  see  the  Secretary  of  State  to 
resign  his  connection  with  the  Exhibition,  and  that  his 
letter  of  resignation  was  then  in  his  pocket.  I  took  his 
arm,  and  walked  up  and  down  Whitehall.  On  asking  him 
whether  he  believed  the  ship  was  sinking,  and  that  the 
Exhibition  would  be  a  total  failure,  he  frankly  admitted 
that  he  did,  as  the  state  of  indifference  of  the  manu- 
facturing districts  rendered  failure  almost  certain.  I  then 
urged  that  as  he  was  the  real  pilot  of  the  vessel,  it  was  a 
wrong  act  to  desert  the  sinking  ship.  The  country  could 
be  aroused  to  the  importance  of  the  undertaking,  and  my 
work  could  be  well  separated  from  his,  for  I  intended  to 
visit  the  chief  manufacturing  centres,  in  order  to  create 
a  public  opinion  in  its  support.  Our  conversation  was 
mutually  satisfactory,  and  we  walked  to  the  Exhibition 
office  together,  and  his  letter  of  resignation  was  destroyed. 
Had  the  accidental  meeting  not  taken  place,  the  Great 
Exhibition  would  never  have  been  held,  for  its  mainspring 
would  have  been  broken.  After  this  interview,  if 
jealousies  still  continued,  none  were  ever  shown,  for  all 
the  members  of  the  Executive  worked  loyally  to  bring  the 
undertaking  to  a  successful  issue. 

The  classification  of  the  intended  Exhibition  when    I 
joined  it  was  the  following  : — 

1.  The  Raw  Materials  of  industry. 

2.  The  Manufactures  made  from  them. 

3.  The  Art  employed  to  adorn  them. 

The  philosophical  mind  of  the  Prince  Consort  held 
tenaciously  to  this  classification.  I,  however,  strongly 
urged  that,  though  it  was  philosophical,  it  was  not 
practical,  and  that  its  theoretical  character  was,  perhaps, 
the  chief  cause  of  the  want  of  sympathy  between  the 
promoters  and  the  manufacturers.  All  the  classes  of 
objects   to   be    displayed   ran   into   each   other   in   ever}' 


Il6  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

manufacture.  Iron  ore,  for  instance,  was  the  raw  material 
for  cast  iron,  while  the  latter  was  the  raw  material  for  all 
industries  in  iron.  I  prepared,  with  great  labour,  a  new 
classification  by  dividing  manufactures  into  twenty-nine 
classes,  each  of  which  were  subdivided  into  subsections 
representing  the  distinct  industries.  This  classification 
was  submitted  to  leading  manufacturers  in  all  the  classes, 
and  was  revised  according  to  their  criticisms.  By  it  we 
were  enabled  to  see,  as  the  work  progressed,  whether 
the  Exhibition  was  deficient  in  certain  industries,  and 
the  gaps  were  filled  up  by  writing  to  producers. 

This  classification,  the  first  attempted  of  industrial  work, 
met  with  great  success,  and  had  the  good  fortune  to  be 
highly  commended  by  Whewell  and  Babbage,  both  masters 
in  classification.  Ultimately,  it  was  thoroughly  adopted 
by  the  Prince  Consort  and  the  Royal  Commission.  It  had 
still  to  be  approved  by  the  foreign  Commissions.  France 
alone  made  some  objections,  as  the  French  Commission 
had  drawn  out  a  logical  and  philosophical  classification  for 
itself.  In  discussing  the  two  classifications  with  the 
French  Commission,  I  pointed  out  that  the  best  must  be 
the  one  which  the  manufacturers  could  most  readily 
understand,  and  I  suggested  that  we  should  fix  upon  any 
common  object,  and  see  who  could  most  quickly  find  it  in 
an  appropriate  division.  My  French  colleague  had  a 
handsome  walking-stick  in  his  hand,  and  proposed  that 
this  should  be  the  test.  Turning  to  my  class  of  "  Miscel- 
laneous objects,"  under  the  subsection  "  Objects  for 
personal  use,"  I  readily  found  a  walking-stick.  The 
French  Commissioner  searched  his  logical  classification  for 
a  long  time  in  vain,  but  ultimately  found  the  familiar 
object  under  a  subsection,  "  Machines  for  the  propagation 
of  direct  motion."  He  laughed  heartily,  and  agreed  to 
work  under  the  English  classification. 

The  new  classification  was  sent  to  all  the  leading 
manufacturers  in  the  United  Kingdom,  and  produced  a 
marked  change  in  favour  of  the  Exhibition.  They  now 
knew  the  nature  and  the  objects  of  the  undertaking,  and 
began  to  prepare  for  taking  part  in  it.     I  followed  this 


THE   GREAT   EXHIBITION.  117 

up  by  making  an  extensive  tour  through  all  the  manu- 
facturing districts.  I  used  to  call  on  the  leading  manu- 
facturers, and,  after  having  secured  their  co-operation,  a 
meeting  was  summoned  of  the  civic  authorities,  the 
Members  of  Parliament  for  the  district,  and  the  manu- 
facturers, to  give  a  full  explanation  of  the  purposes  of  the 
Exhibition,  and  to  remove  the  difficulties  which  they 
might  experience.  Lancashire  hung  back,  but  Cobden 
came  to  my  rescue,  and  was  of  material  assistance  in 
producing  a  better  feeling.  This  was  my  first  introduction 
to  this  great  statesman,  of  whom  I  used  to  see  a  good  deal 
in  the  remaining  years  of  his  life.  Like  everyone  who 
knew  him,  I  was  much  impressed  by  his  singleness  of 
purpose  and  his  tact  in  overcoming  difficulties.  These 
conferences  soon  created  the  public  support  so  necessary 
for  the  success  of  the  Great  Exhibition. 

Innumerable  difficulties  had  yet  to  be  removed,  in  spite 
of  the  personal  attention  which  the  Prince  Consort  gave 
to  the  work  of  the  Royal  Commission.  The  Government 
provided  no  funds,  and  the  amount  of  subscriptions  was 
ridiculously  small.  Sir  Henry  Cole  proposed  a  guarantee 
fund  of  a  large  amount,  to  enable  us  to  erect  the  necessary 
buildings  and  to  meet  the  large  expenses  of  preparation. 
Mr  Morton  Peto  (afterwards  made  a  baronet)  commenced 
the  fund  by  a  bold  signature  for  £50,000.  We  then  took 
this  paper  to  the  Prince  Consort,  who  said  that  he  would 
sign  for  .£20,000  if  the  members  of  the  Executive 
individually  showed  their  faith  in  the  undertaking  by 
attaching  their  signatures,  which  we  did  for  £1,000  each. 
After  that  the  guarantee  fund  grew  so  rapidly  that  there 
were  no  further  difficulties  in  the  way  of  finance,  for  the 
Bank  of  England  supplied  us  with  money  on  the  security 
of  the  signatures. 

I  am  not  writing,  however,  a  history  of  the  Exhibition, 
but  only  an  account  of  my  personal  connection  with  it. 
One  of  our  difficulties  was  in  regard  to  the  building.  Sir 
Joseph  Paxton  had  been  called  into  consultation,  and 
proposed  a  palace  of  iron  and  glass.  There  were, 
however,  difficulties  as  to  this,  the  main  one  being  that  in 


Il8  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

the  centre  of  the  ground  in  Hyde  Park  devoted  to  the 
building  there  were  three  large  trees  which  the  Commis- 
sioners of  Woods  and  Forests  would  not  allow  to  be  cut 
down.  I  had  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  day  at 
Buckingham  Palace  with  the  Prince  Consort,  examining 
the  plans  for  the  building,  when  Paxton  proposed  to 
obviate  the  difficulty  of  the  trees  by  throwing  a  gigantic 
dome  over  them.  The  question  arose  whether  this  would 
kill  the  trees,  and  I  offered  to  drive  to  Turnham  Green, 
where  Lindley,  the  botanist,  resided,  to  obtain  his  opinion. 
This  was  distinctly  favourable  to  Paxton's  proposal,  and 
on  returning  in  the  evening  to  the  Palace  this  great 
feature  of  the  Exhibition  building  was  finally  arranged. 
It  was  reared  with  wonderful  rapidity,  and  people  began 
to  believe  that  the  Great  Exhibition  would  be  at  last 
realised. 

But  even  then  the  croakers  would  not  cease  to  frighten 
the  public.  Alarms  which  now  seem  puerile  and  absurd 
were  seriously  entertained,  and  had  to  be  dissipated. 
The  great  influx  of  people  frcm  abroad  was  to  produce 
frightful  epidemics  —  perhaps  black  death,  certainly 
cholera.  The  large  immigration  of  foreigners,  on  the 
pretence  of  seeing  the  Exhibition,  was  to  be  used  as  a 
conspiracy  to  seize  London  and  sack  the  great  capital. 
Our  industries  were  to  be  destroyed  by  a  taste  for  foreign 
goods  being  created,  and  England's  future  greatness  was 
to  be  imperilled  to  gratify  the  wish  of  the  foreign  Prince 
who  had  married  the  Queen.  When  the  Prince  Consort 
should  have  been  most  popular  for  his  unremitting 
exertions  to  bring  his  great  conception  to  a  successful 
issue,  he  had  to  encounter  the  hostility  ot  the  aristocracy 
and  the  absurd  alarms  of  the  middle  classes.  A  literary 
squib  which  appeared  in  a  provincial  paper  helped  to  allay 
these  foolish  fears.  The  Exhibition  was  far  advanced,  the 
objects  were  being  arranged  in  their  cases,  and  a  few  days 
only  had  to  elapse  before  the  State  Opening,  when  a  new 
scare  arose.  This  was  that  the  three  large  trees  in  the 
dome  harboured  so  many  sparrows  that  all  the  rich  goods 
displayed   would   be   spoiled   by   them.      The    provincial 


THE   GREAT  EXHIBITION.  119 

journal  to  which  I  alluded  gave  the  following  amusing 
satire  on  the  final  scare  : — 

"  The  Prince  Consort  was  in  the  breakfast -room  at  Buckingham 
Palace,  moody  and  unhappy,  when  the  Queen  asked  the  cause  of 
his  woe.  He  explained  that  after  innumerable  difficulties  had  been 
removed,  the  sparrows  had  appeared  in  such  numbers  in  the 
Exhibition  as  to  destroy  all  hope  of  displaying  valuable  goods. 
The  Queen  then  asked  whether  the  Prince  Consort  had  consulted 
Playfair,  and  was  assured  that  he  had  no  advice  to  offer.  There- 
upon she  suggested  that  Lord  John  Russell  should  be  sent  for.  On 
his  arrival  at  Buckingham  Palace,  the  Prince  Consort  explained  the 
difficulties  in  regard  to  the  sparrows,  and  his  lordship  at  once 
suggested  that  her  Majesty's  Guards  should  be  sent  into  the 
building  to  shoot  them.  The  Prince  pointed  out  that  this  was  an 
unpractical  suggestion,  as  the  result  must  be  that  the  palace  of 
glass  would  be  destroyed.  Lord  John  Russell  then  suggested  that 
Lord  Palmerston  should  be  called  into  consultation.  When  that 
great  statesman  arrived  he  smiled  at  the  difficulty,  and  proposed 
that  birdlime  should  be  put  on  the  branches  of  the  trees.  The 
Prince  Consort  observed  that  this  proposal  was  equally  useless, 
because  the  sparrows  no  longer  roosted  on  the  trees,  but  preferred 
sitting  on  the  iron  girders  of  the  building.  Lord  John  Russell  and 
Lord  Palmerston  now  withdrew  for  a  consultation,  and  finally 
recommended  that  the  Duke  of  Wellington  should  be  summoned. 
A  messenger  was  accordingly  despatched  to  Apsley  House,  and 
found  that  great  warrior  and  statesman  in  the  act  of  leaving  home 
for  the  Horse  Guards.  The  Iron  Duke  was  annoyed  at  being 
summoned  for  such  an  object,  and  wrote  the  following  letter : — 
'  Field- Marshal  the  Duke  of  Wellington  presents  his  humble  duty 
to  her  Majesty.  The  Duke  of  Wellington  has  the  honour  to  be 
Commander-in-Chief  to  her  Majesty's  Forces,  but  the  Duke  of 
Wellington  is  not  a  bird  catcher.'  The  Duke  had  no  sooner  sent 
the  letter  than  he  repented,  and,  mounting  his  horse,  overtook  the 
messenger,  and,  taking  back  his  letter,  presented  himself  at 
Buckingham  Palace.  The  Queen  received  him  with  effusion,  and 
the  Prince  Consort  recovered  from  his  despondency.  The  three 
Privy  Councillors  withdrew  for  a  consultation,  and  on  their  return 
the  Duke  of  Wellington  oracularly  uttered  the  word,  '  Sparrow- 
hawks.'  In  the  meantime  the  sparrows  had  sent  out  scouts. 
When  they  heard  that  Lord  John  Russell  had  been  summoned  they 
twittered,  and  seemed  to  be  amused.  When  Lord  Palmerston 
went  they  showed  signs  of  anxiety,  but  ultimately  flew  about  as 
usual.  When  their  scouts  informed  them  that  the  Duke  of 
Wellington  had  gone  to  the  Palace,  all  the  sparrows  congregated  in 
the  tree  nearest  to  the  door,  and  as  soon  as  the  advice  of  sparrow- 


120  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

hawks  was  communicated  they  flew  in  a  body  out  of  the  door,  and 
the  Exhibition  was  never  again  troubled  with  their  presence." 

This  jen  d' esprit  was  the  end  of  our  panics,  and  in  a  few 
days  the  Great  Exhibition  was  opened  in  state. 

There  are  still  many  living  who  recollect  that  magnifi- 
cent ceremony.  The  dais  upon  which  the  Queen  and 
Royal  Family  stood  with  their  suite  was  behind  the 
crystal  fountain.  The  trees  in  full  leaf  under  the  high 
dome,  the  brilliant  uniforms  of  the  Commissioners  of  all 
nations,  and  the  vast  crowd  which  filled  the  entire 
Exhibition,  formed  a  sight  not  to  be  forgotten  by  those 
who  witnessed  it,  and  familiar  to  the  present  generation 
from  numerous  engravings.  A  large  choir  led  by  Dr 
Wylde  sang  "  God  Save  the  Queen  "  and  the  "  Hallelujah 
Chorus."  The  latter  was  most  impressive,  and  during  it 
a  strange  incident  occurred.  A  Chinaman,  dressed  in 
magnificent  robes,  suddenly  emerged  from  the  crowd  and 
prostrated  himself  before  the  throne.  Who  he  was 
nobody  knew.  He  might  possibly  be  the  Emperor  of 
China  himself  who  had  come  secretly  to  the  ceremony, 
but  it  was  certain  that  he  was  not  in  the  programme  of 
the  procession,  and  we  who  were  in  charge  of  the 
ceremony  did  not  know  where  to  place  His  Celestial 
Highness.  The  Lord  Chamberlain  was  equally  perplexed, 
and  asked  the  Queen  and  the  Prince  Consort  for  instruc- 
tions. We  were  then  told  that  there  must  be  no  mistake 
as  to  his  rank,  and  that  it  would  be  best  to  place  him 
between  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  the  Duke  of 
Wellington.  In  this  dignified  position  he  marched 
through  the  building,  to  the  delight  and  amazement  of  all 
beholders.  Next  day  we  ascertained  that  this  Chinaman 
was  keeper  of  a  Chinese  junk  that  had  been  sent  over  to 
lie  in  the  River  Thames,  and  which  anyone  could  visit  on 
payment  of  a  shilling  ! 

There  have  been  many  Exhibitions  since  1851,  and  all 
have  been  opened  with  State  pageants,  but  none  has 
ever  impressed  me  with  the  magnificence  of  this  first 
Exhibition.  Of  course,  it  had  the  charm  of  novelty,  and 
this  may  have  been  the  chief  cause  of  the  difference  in 


THE   GREAT   EXHIBITION.  121 

effect.  My  principal  work  after  the  opening  of  the 
Exhibition  was  to  superintend  the  awards  of  the  juries.  I 
was  entrusted  with  the  organisation  of  the  juries,  which 
consisted  of  men  of  all  nations.  The  classes  were 
distributed  into  groups.  A  chairman  was  appointed  to 
each  class,  and  a  separate,  distinguished  chairman  to  each 
group.  The  Chairmen  of  the  Groups  formed  a  Council, 
which  revised  the  decisions,  and  was  a  Court  of  Appeal. 
The  system  worked  easily,  and  there  were  few  serious 
difficulties,  although  there  were  necessarily  some  from  the 
conflicting  national  interests.  I  reserved  to  myself  the 
right  to  attend  the  meetings  both  of  the  juries  and  the 
Council,  but  only  did  so  when  disputes  arose,  so  that  I 
got  nicknamed  the  "Stormy  Petrel,"  my  presence  in- 
dicating that  there  was  difficulty,  which,  however,  was 
always  removed  by  tact  and  judgment. 

The  Queen  and  Prince  Consort,  with  the  Royal  children, 
were  constant  visitors  to  the  Exhibition.  Numerous 
incidents  of  their  visits  are  recalled  to  my  memory.  I  will 
only  mention  one  of  them.  An  engraver  on  glass  had 
spent  two  or  three  years  on  a  jar  which  was  divided  into 
compartments.  He  constantly  asked  me  to  draw  the 
attention  of  the  Queen  to  his  magnum  opus.  On  one 
occasion  the  Royal  party  passed  his  stall  without  stopping. 
I  saw  that  the  exhibitor  was  in  despair,  and  I  asked  Her 
Majesty  whether  she  would  kindly  go  back,  which  she 
graciously  did.  But  the  exhibitor  had  now  lost  all  self- 
possession,  and  was  confused  in  explaining  the  meaning  of 
his  engravings.  To  help  him,  the  Queen  pointed  to  a 
compartment  which  represented  a  boy  jumping  out  of  a 
boat  to  the  land,  while  a  large  eye  peered  out  of  an 
overhanging  cloud.  The  Queen  desired  him  to  explain 
what  was  meant.  The  reply  was  startling  :  "  The  boy, 
madam,  is  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and  the  eye  is  the  Eye  of 
God  looking  out  with  pleasure  for  the  moment  when  His 
Royal  Highness  will  land  on  his  kingdom  and  become  the 
reigning  Sovereign  !  "  The  gentlemen  in  attendance  were 
aghast,  but  the  Queen  preserved  her  countenance  till  we 
left   the   stall,  when   both   she   and   the    Prince   Consort 


122  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

laughed  heartily.  The  latter  told  me  that  he  only  knew 
one  parallel  incident.  George  IV  had  taken  a  fancy  to  a 
beautiful  but  silly  young  lady,  and  had  her  frequently  near 
him.  On  asking  her  whether  she  was  pleased  with  the 
Court  festivities,  she  replied  that  she  was,  but  that  she  was 
dying  to  see  a  coronation. 

The  children  of  the  Royal  Family  were  sent  constantly 
to  the  Exhibition  as  a  place  of  instruction,  and  their  visits 
were  so  arranged  that  they  should  acquire  some  general 
knowledge  of  manufactures.  The  present  Empress 
Frederick  of  Germany  was  then  a  particularly  bright  child, 
and  enjoyed  her  visits,  and  profited  by  them.  The  Prince 
of  Wales  and  the  Duke  of  Edinburgh  were  also  constant 
visitors,  and  took  interest  in  what  they  saw.  Perhaps  the 
lessons  learned  while  a  child  have  helped  the  Prince  of 
Wales  to  achieve  his  great  success  as  President  and 
organiser  of  the  various  succeeding  Exhibitions  which 
have  been  brought  out  under  his  direction. 

In  August  (1851)  the  French  Government  invited  the 
Commissioners  to  Paris,  where  we  were  splendidly 
entertained.  The  President,  Louis  Napoleon,  gave  a  fete 
at  St.  Cloud,  when  a  singular  incident  occurred.  The 
orangery  was  converted  into  a  refreshment  room,  and  the 
guests,  being  hungry,  were  anxious  that  it  should  be 
opened.  Suddenly,  and  in  breach  of  all  discipline,  the 
soldiers  broke  into  it  and  consumed  the  viands.  I  made 
friends  with  one  of  the  soldiers,  and  he  handed  me  a  fowl, 
a  bottle  of  champagne,  and  bread.  I  was  returning  with 
this  booty  to  share  with  some  friends,  when  I  met  Lord 
Granville,  who  told  me  it  was  all  arranged,  and  that  a 
new  lunch  would  be  provided  for  us.  I  returned  my 
capture,  and  in  due  time  another  lunch  made  its 
appearance.  This  was  a  singular  bid  for  popularity  among 
the  soldiers  by  the  President,  who  before  the  end  of  the 
year  was  to  use  the  army  in  the  coup  d'etat.  The  fete 
was  a  brilliant  one,  and  was  scarcely  marred  by  an 
incident  which  at  one  time  appeared  to  be  destructive  of 
its  success. 

The   visits   of  the    Royal    children    to    the   Exhibition 


THE   GREAT   EXHIBITION.  1 23 

naturally  brought  me  into  constant  contact  with  them, 
and  laid  the  basis  of  that  courteous  and  kindly  feeling 
which  they  have  always  since  shown  me. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  Great  Exhibition  was  a 
financial  success,  and  that  the  surplus  was  about  .£180,000. 
This  was  wisely  invested  in  land  at  South  Kensington 
by  the  advice  of  the  Prince  Consort.  It  has  increased 
enormously  in  value.  This  land  is  still  vested  in  the 
Royal  Commissioners  who  carried  out  the  Exhibition,  and 
they  have  given  sites  on  it  to  numerous  public  buildings. 
Upon  the  land  are  built  large  galleries  for  museums  and 
pictures,  and  in  addition  to  these  are  now  built  the  South 
Kensington  Museum,  the  Natural  History  Museum,  the 
Government  Schools  of  Science  and  Art,  the  Royal  Albert 
Hall,  the  Royal  College  of  Music,  the  Imperial  Institute, 
the  Alexandra  Home  for  Female  Students,  the  City  and 
Guilds  of  London  Institute,  the  School  of  Art  Needlework, 
and  other  institutions. 

When  the  Great  Exhibition  closed,  the  Government 
offered  me  a  Knighthood  or  the  Companionship  of  the 
Bath.  I  selected  the  latter.  The  French  Government 
also  offered  to  make  me  Officer  of  the  Legion  of  Honour, 
but  this  honour  I  at  that  time  declined,  as  I  was  in  the 
employment  of  the  English  Government. 

The  Prince  Consort  wrote  the  following  letter  : — 

Windsor  Castle. 

The  Prince  Consort  to  Play  fair.  October  15th,  1851. 

My  dear  Dr  Playfair, — I  had  meant  on  this  day  to 
present  you  with  a  gold  medal  as  a  remembrance  of  our 
labours  for  the  Exhibition  which  has  this  day  been  so 
happily  closed,  but  the  medallist  has  disappointed  me.  I 
have  accordingly  to  do  what  you  had  to  advise  the 
Commission  to  do  with  their  prize  medals — viz.,  to 
announce  that  it  will  be  forthcoming. 

Colonel  Reid  has,  upon  his  appointment  to  the  governor- 
ship of  Malta,  resigned  the  office  of  Gentleman  Usher 
which  he  held  in  my  household.  It  would  be  very 
pleasing  to  me  if  by  your  accepting  the  office  my  personal 


> 


124  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

connection  with  3^ou  should  be  continued.  There  are  no 
duties  attached  to  the  office,  except  occasional  attendance 
at  the  Queen's  Levees  and  Drawing-Rooms,  and  the  salary 
is  insignificant.  You,  therefore,  must  look  on  my  offer 
only  as  an  expression  of  my  sense  of  the  ability  and  zeal 
with  which  you  have  performed  very  important  and 
difficult  duties. 

Ever  yours  truly, 

Albert. 

I  accepted  this  office  in  the  household  of  the  Prince 
Consort.  The  duties  were  almost  nominal,  but  the 
attachment  to  his  service  gave  me  the  privilege  of  being 
frequently  associated  with  this  illustrious  Prince  in  many 
of  the  works  which  he  undertook  to  promote  education, 
science,  and  art.  It  was  most  agreeable  to  me  to  retain 
an  official  connection  with  the  Prince  Consort,  for  whom  I 
entertained  a  sincere  affection,  as  well  as  a  profound 
respect.  In  all  my  future  intercourse  with  the  Prince,  I 
never  on  any  occasion  saw  him  animated  by  a  single 
desire  that  was  not  connected  with  the  public  weal  of  that 
country  which  he  had  thoroughly  adopted  as  his  own 
when  he  married  the  Queen.  I  have  been  with  him  when 
he  was  pained  by  his  temporary  unpopularity  with  the 
nation,  which  has  always  shown  itself  intolerant  of  foreign 
princes ;  but  even  then  he  never  murmured  against  his 
detractors,  and  felt  confidence  that  the  public  would 
ultimately  do  him  justice.  His  memory  is  now  held  in 
sacred  esteem  by  all  classes,  but  only  those  who  had 
the  honour  of  his  confidence  can  fully  know  the  purity, 
nobility,  and  simplicity  of  his  character. 

After  the  close  of  the  Exhibition,  very  lively  discussions 
took  place  as  to  what  should  be  done  with  the  building. 
A  pamphlet  appeared  by  " Denarius"  strongly  urging  that 
it  should  be  kept  in  Hyde  Park  as  a  palace  for  the  people. 
It  was  obvious  that  the  author  of  the  pamphlet  was  Sir 
Henry  Cole,  and  while  it  was  being  discussed  in  the  Royal 
Commission,  Lord  Derby,  the  translator  of  the  '  Iliad,' 
turned  to  me  in  the  most  innocent  way,  saying,  "  Playfair, 


THE   GREAT   EXHIBITION.  1 25 

my  classical  education  has  been  neglected.  Could  you 
tell  me  whether  'Denarius'  is  the  Latin  for  coal?"  In 
spite  of  Sir  Henry  Cole's  advocacy,  the  building  was  taken 
down  and  transferred  to  Sydenham,  where  it  formed  the 
materials  for  the  Crystal  Palace.  That  was  built  with 
wonderful  rapidity,  and  was  opened  in  1854.  Although  I 
am  advancing  beyond  the  limits  of  date  of  this  chapter,  I 
may  say  a  few  words  in  regard  to  the  State  opening. 
Both  the  Queen  and  the  Prince  Consort  took  the  liveliest 
interest  in  the  new  Crystal  Palace.  In  carrying  it  out, 
much  attention  was  paid  both  to  art  and  science.  Copies 
of  the  great  statues  all  over  the  world  were  procured,  and 
in  contrast  with  these  beautiful  forms  an  ethnological 
collection  of  effigies  of  savages  was  distributed  in  various 
parts  of  the  building.  Of  course,  in  both  cases  the  figures 
were  nude,  and  just  before  the  opening  a  memorial, 
signed  by  most  of  the  bishops,  was  sent  to  the  Queen 
stating  that  they  could  not  attend  the  State  ceremony 
unless  all  the  nude  statues  and  ethnological  figures  were 
properly  draped.  The  difficulty  was  formidable,  on 
account  of  the  short  period  at  the  disposal  of  the 
managers,  so  the  Prince  Consort  asked  me  to  call  on 
him,  in  order  to  get  my  advice  as  to  whether  the  desires 
of  the  bishops  could  be  carried  out  within  the  time.  I 
ventured  to  suggest  that  the  bishops  might  be  asked  for  a 
loan  of  their  aprons  during  the  ceremony  !  However,  by 
considerable  exertion  the  statues  in  the  line  of  the 
procession  were  put  into  the  primitive  costume  of  Adam 
and  Eve,  while  others  were  dragged  into  obscure  corners, 
and  the  Crystal  Palace  was  opened  with  a  brilliant  State 
ceremony,  in  which  the  archbishops  and  bishops  joined 
without  offence  to  their  sense  of  modesty. 

In  order  fully  to  understand  Play  fair's  part  in  a  memor- 
able chapter  of  English  history,  it  is  necessary  to  supple- 
ment his  narrative  by  certain  letters  which  indicate  the 
character  and  extent  ot  his  work  as  one  of  the  main 
agents  in  the  management  of  the  Great  Exhibition.  At 
the  outset  he  was  brought,  as  I  have  already  said,  into  close 


126  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

contact  with  many  politicians  of  eminence,  including  Lord 
Granville.  His  correspondence  with  Lord  Granville  was 
in  1850  voluminous.  There  was  hardly  a  point  connected 
with  the  constitution  of  the  juries,  the  preparation  of  their 
reports,  and  the  manner  in  which  their  services  were  to 
be  recognised,  that  was  not  submitted  by  Lord  Granville 
to  Playfair.  But  even  more  intimate  and  more  constant 
was  the  correspondence  that  was  carried  on  between 
Playfair  and  the  Prince  Consort.  As  he  tells  us  in  his 
Reminiscences,  part  of  his  work  in  preparing  for  the 
Exhibition  was  to  visit  the  English  manufacturing  towns 
in  order  to  remove  the  misapprehension  which  prevailed 
as  to  the  purpose  and  scope  of  an  enterprise  which  was  at 
that  time  wholly  novel. 

Colonel  Grey  to  Playfair.  Osborne,  May  24th,  1850. 

My  dear  Sir, — I  yesterday  received  your  letter,  and 
you  could  understand  on  your  return  to  London  that  the 
removal  of  the  Court  was  the  cause  of  my  delay  in 
answering  it. 

His  Royal  Highness  completely  concurs  in  all  you  say 
— both  as  to  the  necessity  of  your  completing  your  visits 
to  the  principal  English  manufacturing  towns,  where  the 
greatest  misapprehension  exists  as  to  the  views  of  the  Royal 
Commission,  previous  to  your  going  to  Ireland  ;  and  also  as 
to  the  propriety  of  having  Colonel  Lloyd  with  you  for  a 
week  or  two,  before  he  is  charged  with  any  separate  mission. 

H.R.H.  has  been  much  gratified  by  your  reports  from 
Leeds  and  Birmingham  to  myself  and  Lord  Granville,  and 
desires  me  to  congratulate  you  on  the  eminent  success 
which  appears  to  have  attended  your  visits  to  so  many 
important  towns. 

We  shall  be  here  till  the  18th  of  June,  and  I  shall 
hope  to  hear  from  you  from  time  to  time  of  your  further 
progress.  Believe  me, 

Yours  very  truly, 

C.  Grey. 


THE   GREAT   EXHIBITION.  12J 

Of  the  substantial  character  of  Playfair's  share  in  mould- 
ing the  machinery  of  the  Exhibition,  the  following  corre- 
spondence furnishes  proof. 

i,  Palace  Yard, 
Play/air  to  Colonel  Grey.  May  28th,  1850. 

Dear  Sir, — Before  leaving  for  Liverpool,  I  am  anxious 
to  call  your  attention  to  the  most  important  and  delicate 
subject  still  unresolved  in  connection  with  the  Exhibition 
of  1 85 1.  I  allude  to  the  constitution  of  a  central  Jury  of 
Appeal  and  Award.  I  think  we  must  determine  that  this 
jury  shall  have  both  these  important  duties  to  perform. 
The  feeling  of  the  country  is  so  decidedly  in  favour  of  the 
representative  system  that  it  is  expedient  to  start  with 
this  principle.  The  Exhibition  being  of  so  vast  and  varied 
extent,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  have  juries  of  very  special 
qualifications.  To  procure  these,  I  would  suggest  the 
following  system  for  the  consideration  of  His  Royal  High- 
ness, not  as  being  the  best  which  could  be  devised,  but 
as  being  that  which  would  best  chime  in  with  popular 
feeling. 

The  Commission  to  issue  a  letter  addressed  to  all 
Local  Committees,  both  in  England  and  in  foreign  coun- 
tries, requesting  them  to  transmit  to  the  Commission  the 
names  of  those  whom  they  would  select  as  being  adequate 
representatives  of  the  special  trades  carried  on  in  their 
several  localities.  This  nominal  list  would  then  be  classi- 
fied into  a  subject-list.  Thus  all  those  skilled  in  silk  would 
be  brought  together  :  those  skilled  in  brass-founding,  etc. 
etc.  This  being  done,  the  Commission  is  to  select  six  or 
more  names  from  this  list  to  act  as  a  Special  Jury  on  the 
particular  class  of  manufacture.  Thus  in  silk  the  names 
would  comprise  the  sub-divisions  of  that  trade — as  those 
skilled  in  silk  dresses,  silk  fringes,  silk  velvets,  etc.,  the 
towns  having  recommended  representatives  of  their 
peculiar  manufacture. 

Classifying  the  trades,  about  thirty  Special  Juries  would 
thus  have  to  be  created.  Fewer  would  scarcely  do  with- 
out speciality  being  sacrificed.     But  as  1 80  men  could  not 


128  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

act  together,  and  acting  separately  could  not  preserve 
uniformity  of  action,  or  procure  sufficient  respect  for  their 
decisions,  it  is  necessary  to  devise  a  plan  to  obviate  these 
difficulties.  The  plan  I  would  propose  is  this  : — Each 
Special  Jury  is  to  elect  a  Chairman.  The  Chairmen  of 
the  Special  Juries  are  to  associate  themselves  with  repre- 
sentatives or  nominees  of  the  Royal  Commission,  and  this 
joint  body  forms  a  General  Council.  All  decisions  of  Special 
Juries  are  to  be  submitted  to  and  ratified  by  this  Council 
before  being  considered  final.  In  fact  the  Special  Juries 
represent  skill — the  General  Council,  common  sense. 

This  General  Council  would  not  exceed  35  in  number. 
.  .  .  Such  a  Council  would  command  the  respect  of  the 
public,  and  confidence  in  its  decisions  would  follow.  I 
need  not  point  to  the  numerous  advantages  which  would 
arise  from  our  securing  the  goodwill  of  the  public  in  the 
matter  of  Juries  of  Appeal  and  Award.  I  submit  this  plan 
with  all  possible  deference.  It  is  the  best  I  have  been  able 
to  think  of  in  endeavouring  to  unite  the  popular  and  aris- 
tocratic elements,  which  I  think  are  essential.  But  I  am 
by  no  means  confident  that  it  is  the  best  system  which 
could  be  devised.  It  is  by  far  the  most  difficult  question 
we  have  had  to  deal  with,  and  I  am  sure  His  Royal 
Highness  will  excuse  the  liberty  I  have  taken  in  venturing 
to  draw  his  attention  to  so  important  a  subject. 

Dear  Sir, 

I  have  the  honour  to  be 

Your  obedient  Servant, 

Lyon  Playfair. 

Colonel  Grey  to  Playfair.  Osborne,  May  29th,  1850. 

My  dear  Sir, — I  have  this  morning  received  your 
letter,  and  have  lost  no  time  in  submitting  it  to  the 
Prince. 

His  Royal  Highness  thinks  your  plan  will  be  an 
admirable  one  for  constituting  a  Central  Jury  of  Appeal 
for  this  country.     But  there    are    strong   reasons  against 


THE   GREAT  EXHIBITION.  1 29 

giving  to  the  same  body  the   duties  both  of  a  Jury  of 
Appeal  and  of  Award. 

In  the  first  place  a  Jury  of  Appeal  is  not  required 
for  foreign  countries.  The  Commissions,  or  other  central 
authorities,  appointed  by  foreign  Governments  will  take 
upon  themselves  the  responsibility  which  at  home  would 
attach  to  a  Jury  of  Appeal,  of  selecting,  according  to  the 
space  allotted  to  them,  the  articles  to  be  exhibited  by 
their  respective  countries.  Such  a  jury,  however,  is 
required  with  us  to  exercise  the  control  over  our  Home 
Contributors  which  the  Commissions  appointed  by  foreign 
Governments  exercise  abroad.  And  the  plan  you  suggest 
for  its  constitution  seems  very  good. 

When  this  jury  has  executed  the  duty  entrusted  to  it  of 
controlling  and  selecting  the  contributions  from  home,  we 
shall  then  be  in  the  same  position  as  foreign  countries, 
where  a  similar  control  and  selection  will  already  have 
been  exercised  under  the  authority  of  their  respective 
Governments. 

And  then  will  come  the  consideration  of  the  best  mode 
of  constituting  the  Juries  of  Award. 

This  is  a  very  important  point.  It  is  not  only  necessary 
to  ensure  a  fair  and  impartial  decision  as  far  as  practicable, 
but  it  is  also  necessary  that  your  fairness  and  impartiality 
should  be  evident  to  the  world.  The  Juries  of  Appeal, 
constituted  as  you  propose,  will  probably  form  as  good  a 
basis  as  can  be  devised  from  which  to  select  your  Juries  of 
Award.  But  to  give  to  other  countries  perfect  confidence 
in  your  impartiality,  it  will  be  requisite  that  a  certain  pro- 
portion of  their  numbers  should  be  foreigners.  If  you  refer 
to  former  minutes  you  will  find  that  such  a  promise  has  in 
fact  been  given,  and  that  an  announcement  has  also  been 
made  that  no  person  should  be  placed  upon  such  a  jury 
who  was  himself  an  exhibitor. 

On  these,  and  other  points  connected  with  this  subject, 
H.R.H.  would  be  glad  to  have  an  opportunity  of  talking 
fully  with  you  before  any  decision  is  come  to.  Perhaps 
after  your  return  from  Liverpool  you  might  be  able  to  run 
down  here  ;  and  I  shall  be  glad  if  you  will  tell  me,  with 


130  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

the  view  of  fixing  some  day  for  your  doing  so,  and  also 
of  arranging  that  Lord  Granville  should  meet  you  here, 
what  your  present  arrangements  may  be. 

Believe  me, 

Yours  very  truly, 

C.  Grey. 

It  was  when  the  success  of  the  Exhibition  had  been 
assured  and  it  was  drawing  to  a  close,  that  the  most  serious 
of  the  questions  connected  with  it  forced  themselves  upon 
the  consideration  of  the  Prince  Consort  and  his  advisers. 
The  Exhibition  had  resulted,  as  we  have  seen,  in  a  very 
large  pecuniary  profit,  amounting  in  round  figures  to 
two  hundred  thousand  pounds.  How  to  dispose  of  this 
surplus  was  the  problem  that  occupied  the  attention  of 
the  Prince  Consort  and  his  little  band  of  assistants.  That 
it  should  be  devoted  to  educational  work  for  the  benefit 
of  the  public  was  the  fixed  determination  of  the  Prince. 
But  many  schemes  passed  in  succession  through  his 
mind,  and  many  were  suggested  to  him  by  his  advisers, 
before  a  solution  of  a  most  difficult  and  delicate  problem 
could  be  arrived  at.  Upon  one  point  there  seems  to  have 
been  from  the  first  a  pretty  general  agreement.  This  was 
that  the  surplus  fund,  instead  of  being  sunk  in  Consols, 
should  be  invested  in  land.  The  land,  it  was  believed,  if 
the  site  were  properly  selected,  might  be  used  for  a  double 
purpose.  Part  of  it  could  be  regarded  as  an  investment, 
and  employed  for  the  development  of  a  residential  estate, 
whilst  part  could  be  reserved  for  the  erection  upon  this 
estate  of  buildings  devoted  to  the  purposes  which  it  had 
been  the  object  of  the  promoters  of  the  Great  Exhibition 
to  advance.  It  happened  that  at  this  time  a  most  desirable 
piece  of  ground  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood  of  the 
spot  on  which  the  Exhibition  Buildings  stood,  was  for  sale. 
This  was  the  extensive  tract  of  land  lying  south  of  Hyde 


THE   GREAT   EXHIBITION.  131 

Park  and  Kensington  Gardens,  now  familiar  to  everybody 
as  South  Kensington.  The  site  attracted  the  favourable 
notice  of  the  Prince  Consort,  and  it  commended  itself 
to  Play  fair's  practical  judgment.  Early  in  the  month 
of  August,  1 85 1,  the  Prince  stated  his  first  rough  ideas 
on  the  subject  of  the  disposal  of  the  surplus  in  the 
following  memorandum  : — 

I  would  buy  that  land,  and  place  on  it  an  Institution 
embracing  the  four  great  sections  of  the  Exhibition,  i.e. 
raw  materials,  machinery,  manufactures,  and  plastic  art.  | 
This  Institution  I  would  devote  to  the  furtherance  of  the 
industrial  pursuits  of  all  nations.  If  I  examine  what  are 
the  means  by  which  improvement  and  progress  can  be 
obtained  in  any  branches  of  human  knowledge,  I  find 
them  to  consist  of  four. 

First :  Personal  study  from  books. 

Second  :  Oral  communication  of  knowledge  by  those 

who  possess  it  to  those  who  wish  to  acquire  it. 
Third  :  Acquisition  of  knowledge  by  ocular  observa- 
tion, comparison,  and  demonstration. 
Fourth  :  Exchange  of  ideas  by  personal  discussion. 

Hence  I  would  provide  there  in  special  reference  to 
the  wants  of  each  of  the  four  great  sections  : — 

(1)  A  library  and  rooms  for  study  ; 

(2)  Lecture  rooms  ; 

(3)  A  convenient  area  covered  by  glass  for  the  pur- 
poses of  the  Exhibition  ; 

(4)  Rooms  for    conversazioni,   discussions,   and    in- 
dustrial meetings. 

The  surplus  space  might  be  laid  out  as  gardens  for 
public  enjoyment  and  instruction,  and  be  so  arranged  as 
to  admit  of  the  future  erection  of  public  monuments 
according  to  a  well-arranged  plan. 

As  this  scheme  is  founded  upon  the  presumed  necessity 
of  affording  instruction  to  those  engaged  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  arts  and  manufactures,  it  may  be  desirable  that 
the  necessitv  for  this  should  be  shown  to  be  real.     The 


132  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

many  important  discoveries  of  modern  times  have  tended 
to  the  cheapening  and  to  the  ready  acquisition  of  the  raw 
materials  on  which  manufacturers  depend.  JThe  improve- 
ments in  locomotion,  the  increased  means  offered  by 
science  for  the  extraction,  preparation,  or  culture  of  the 
raw  material,  have  lessened  the  peculiar  local  advantages 
of  certain  nations,  and  thus  have  depressed  the  relative 
value  of  the  raw  material  as  an  element  in  manufacture  ; 
while  they  have  immensely  increased  the  value  of  skill 
and  intelligence  as  the  other  great  element  of  production. 
The  nations  most  likely  to  afford  a  public  recognition  ot 
this  fact  are  those  whose  fuel  and  raw  materials  are  chiefly 
derived  from  other  lands,  and  who  can  therefore  only  carry 
on  a  successful  competition  by  continually  economising 
and  perfecting  production  by  the  applications  of  science. 
It  is  accordingly  in  those  countries,  as  in  France  and  Ger- 
many, that  we  find  entire  systems  of  education  devoted  to 
those  who  are  charged  with  industrial  pursuits.  In  France 
this  want  has  been  so  strongly  felt  that,  in  the  midst  of 
free  Government  Institutions  liberally  endowed,  industry 
has  raised  for  itself  a  self-supporting  College,  L'£cole 
Centrale  des  Arts  et  Manufactures,  which  sends  annually 
three  hundred  highly  educated  men  to  impart  this  science 
and  intelligence  to  the  manufacturers  of  France.  So  much 
is  the  practical  value  of  this  special  technical  education 
appreciated  by  manufacturers,  that  the  certificated  pupils 
of  this  school  are  in  great  demand,  not  only  in  France,  but 
in  Belgium,  and  latterly  are  found  in  the  management  of 
some  of  our  large  manufactories  in  England. 

But  as  in  England  the  progress  of  science  is  daily 
equalising  more  the  distribution  of  raw  materials,  and 
depriving  us  of  those  local  advantages  upon  which  we  may 
have  been  too  much  accustomed  to  depend,  it  is  an  obvi- 
ously growing  necessity  that  it  should  afford  to  its  manu- 
facturers the  means  of  acquiring  that  knowledge  without 
which  they  cannot  long  keep  foremost  in  the  struggle 
with  nations.  But  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  funds 
with  which  the  new  Institution  is  to  be  founded  are  the 
contribution  of  all  nations,  and  the  establishment   of  an 


THE  GREAT  EXHIBITION.  1 33 

educational  institution  must  not  be  merely  national, 
but  its  advantages  must  be  open  to  men  of  all  nations. 
It  is  obviously  unnecessary  in  a  preliminary  proposal 
to  define  those  branches  of  knowledge  which  such  an 
Institution  should  embrace,  but  I  would  propose  to  confine 
it  to  education  of  a  technical  and  practical  character,  and 
thus  be  supplementary  to,  and  not  a  substitute  for,  the 
other  educational  institutions  of  this  country.  I  would  in 
all  cases  bear  in  mind  its  international  character,  and,  with 
this  view,  would  bring  into  close  connection  with  it  those 
societies  for  the  promotion  of  science,  abstract  and  applied, 
which  in  their  very  nature  are  cosmopolitan.  I  find  that 
in  England  the  separate  pursuits  of  industry  are  repre- 
sented by  a  variety  of  public  societies  struggling  for 
existence,  unconnected  with  each  other,  and  either  unpro- 
vided with  suitable  locations  or  exhausting  in  providing 
them  those  funds  which  should  be  applied  to  the 
promotion  of  their  respective  objects.  Could  not  such 
societies — or  most  of  them — containing  as  they  do  all  that 
this  country  possesses  of  talent  and  experience  in  their 
branches,  be  united  in  this  Institution,  reserving  to  each 
its  individuality  and  self-supporting  and  self-maintaining 
character,  but  bringing  them  together  under  a  general  roof, 
and  so  far  asking  them  to  extend  their  popular  influence  as 
to  place  them  in  a  relation  of  reciprocal  influence  with 
public  opinion  ?  The  centralisation  of  these  societies  is  a 
want  much  felt  even  by  many  of  themselves,  and  still 
more  by  the  public,  but  can  only  be  effected  by  showing 
that  the  facilities  offered  by  this  Institution  would  tend  to 
their  own  advantage,  and  certainly  to  the  promotion  of 
those  objects  for  which  they  are  established.  As  it  might 
be  convenient  in  matters  affecting  their  common  interest 
to  have  a  council  consisting  of  their  respective  chairmen, 
such  a  body  might  be  entrusted  with  the  duty  of 
collecting  for  the  civilised  world  that  general  and 
statistical  information,  and  a  collection  of  the  materials 
from  which  alone  those  general  laws  can  be  abstracted, 
guided  by  which  we  can  hope  safely  to  progress  in  all 
branches  of  civilisation. 


134  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

This  document  calls  for  no  apology  on  the  part  of  those 
who  hold  that  the  Prince  Consort  was  a  great  and  original 
labourer  in  the  field  of  education.  I  embody  it  here, 
however,  not  merely  because  of  its  striking  merits,  but 
because  it  was  the  germ  out  of  which  sprang  those  great 
institutions  with  which  Playfair  throughout  the  remainder 
of  his  life  was  so  closely  connected.  The  scheme  drafted 
by  the  Prince  Consort,  despite  its  undoubted  merits,  had 
obvious  defects.  Its  very  catholicity  told  against  it. 
Whilst  everyone  was  prepared  to  admit  that  science  is 
cosmopolitan,  there  were  many  who  declared  that  this 
country  was  entitled  to  derive  special  benefit  from  the 
success  of  an  exhibition  which  had  been  carried  out,  not 
only  on  English  soil,  but  by  the  labours  of  English 
statesmen  and  men  of  action.  Long  and  weary  months 
were  spent  in  discussing  the  manner  in  which  the  Prince's 
good  intentions  could  be  carried  into  practical  effect.  A 
few  of  the  letters  of  this  period  will  show  Playfair' s  part 
in  the  discussion  of  a  most  momentous  question. 

Playfair  to  Sir  Henry  de  la  Beche.  August  20th,  1851. 

( Confidential?) 

Dear  Sir  Henry, — At  my  urgent  solicitation  at 
Osborne  on  Monday,  the  Prince  has  consented  to  post- 
pone the  publication  and  development  of  the  scheme. 
It  was  not  sufficiently  matured  for  public  adoption,  and 
overlapped  our  own  as  well  as  other  institutions,  and 
would  have  committed  him  to  a  course  which,  opposing 
other  institutions,  would  have  been  much  criticised.  .  .  . 
The  plan  I  shadowed  out  was  this  : — The  schools  of 
design  throughout  the  country  might  be  made  centres  of 
education,  to  which  other  branches  were  to  be  attached. 
These  were  to  be  united  with  a  University  of  Mines  and 
Manufactures,  in  London,  empowered  to  grant  degrees  and 
diplomas  ;  and  our  museum,  as  representing  mines  and 
metallic  manufactures,   was   to  be   considered   one   great 


The  great  exhibition.  135 

central  college ;  and  the  new  central  college,  principally 
for  the  textile  manufactures,  might  be  considered  the 
other  great  central  institution.  That  they  were  not  to  be 
in  any  way  allied  more  than  going  before  the  same  Board 
of  Examiners  for  diplomas,  and  that  in  management  and 
education  they  were  to  be  as  distinct  as  University 
College  and  King's  College.  I  said  it  was  obvious  you 
could  take  no  step  now,  but  that  when  the  scheme  was 
really  ripe  for  execution  you  might  be  disposed  to  enter 
into  negotiations.  He  repeatedly  asked  me  "what  Sir 
Henry  said,"  and  so  I  will  send  your  letter ;  but  I  think 
you  should  not  do  more  than  appear  a  friendly  watcher 
now,  for  the  ideas  are  still  practically  crude,  and  must  be 
much  modified  to  take  with  the  public  ;  though,  as  they 
are  certainly  founded  on  truth,  they  will  certainly  be  the 
ultimate  ones  adopted,  and  they  are  not  very  far  from 
being  practical. 

Balmoral, 

Sir  Charles  Phipps  to  Play/air.  September  27th,  1851. 

My  dear  Dr  Playfair, — I  beg  to  acknowledge  the 
receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  26th,  which  I  have  submitted 
to  His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince.  H.R.H.  thinks  that 
there  would  be  no  harm  in  endeavouring  to  ascertain  the 
disposition  of  the  leading  members  of  the  learned  societies 
to  some  system  of  combined  action  and  centralisation. 
But  it  should  be  carefully  provided  that  neither  their 
assent  should  be  considered  in  any  way  to  bind  to  the 
adoption  of  any  particular  plan,  nor  the  objections  enter- 
tained by  any  of  these  bodies  to  present  any  bar  to  the 
carrying  out  of  any  project  independent  of  them. 

The  longer  the  Prince  considers  and  weighs  the  subject 
of  the  disposal  of  the  surplus,  the  more  convinced  he 
becomes  that  no  arrangement  for  its  appropriation  can  be 
satisfactory  that  does  not  include  the  interests  of  all  the 
world.  The  original  agreement  with  the  public,  which 
must  be  adhered  to,  was  that  the  surplus,  if  any,  should  be 
expended  upon  objects  strictly  in  unison  with  the  inten- 
tions and  objects  of  the  Exhibition.     The  distinguishing 


136  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

feature  of  this  Exhibition  over  all  others  was  that  it  was 
for  all  nations  ;  and  both  in  maintenance  of  this  principle, 
and  for  the  ultimate  benefit  of  this  country,  this  great  dis- 
tinction ought  to  be  scrupulously  adhered  to. 

All  plans  that  have  in  view  the  application  of  the  surplus 
to  introducing  a  system  of  founding  an  establishment  which 
already  exists  in  some  other  countries  and  not  in  this,  for 
the  benefit  of  England,  are  national  and  not  cosmopolitan 
plans  ;  and  so  far  diverge  from  and  fall  short  of  the  great 
intention  of  the  Exhibition. 

The  surplus  has,  in  fact,  been  collected  from  all  nations, 
and  justly  and  honestly  claims  a  proprietary  not  less  ex- 
tended. In  projecting,  therefore,  modes  for  the  disposal  of 
the  surplus,  the  object  must  not  be  so  much  the  founding 
of  institutions  through  which  Great  Britain  may  be  raised 
to  an  equality,  or  maintain  her  superiority  over  other 
nations,  as  the  foundation  of  some  establishment  in  which, 
by  the  application  of  science  and  art  to  industrial  pursuits, 
the  industry  of  all  nations  may  be  raised  in  the  scale  of 
human  employment ;  and  where,  by  the  constant  inter- 
change of  ideas,  experience,  and  its  results,  each  nation 
may  gain  and  contribute  something.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  in  such  an  interchange  England  would  ultimately  be 
the  greater  gainer.  She  would  have  the  advantage  of  the 
use  and  the  results  of  the  acquired  science,  and  would 
indeed  become  the  headquarters  of  the  skilled  industry  of 
the  world.  Sincerely  yours, 

C.  B.  Phipps. 

Playfair  was  in  the  very  heart  of  the  negotiations  re- 
lating to  the  development  of  the  Prince  Consort's  scheme, 
and  once  more  he  gave  evidence  of  his  capacity  as 
a  mediator  between  conllicting  sections.  But  he  had 
other  work  to  do  besides  that  of  helping  to  bring  about  an 
agreement  at  headquarters.  Part  of  the  business  to  which 
he  devoted  himself  was  the  creation  of  public  interest  in 
the  budding  schemes  of  the  Exhibition  Commissioners.  He 
was  full  of  enthusiasm,  and  it  was  not  unnatural  that  he 


THE   GREAT   EXHIBITION.  137 

should  under-estimate  the  difficulties  of  the  task  which  lay 
before  him  in  moving  an  inert  public  opinion  in  favour  of 
a  grand  scheme  of  practical  education.  The  delicate, 
diplomatic  tact  which  served  him  so  well  when  he  was 
dealing  with  individuals  was  not  so  useful  when  he  was 
brought  into  contact  with  masses  of  the  people.  He  had 
not  yet  acquired  the  experience  which  afterwards  enabled 
him  to  deal  as  successfully  with  bodies  of  the  public 
at  large  as  with  individual  men  and  women  ;  and  in  his 
zeal  he  sometimes  ran  into  difficulties,  as  he  did  towards 
the  close  of  1851,  when  his  advocacy  of  a  scheme  of 
practical  instruction  was  resented  by  some  friends  of 
education  because  of  its  omission  of  all  reference  to 
religious  education. 

Windsor  Castle, 
Colonel  Grey  to  Play  fair.  November  18th,  1851. 

(Private.) 

My  dear  Dr  Playfair, — I  have  submitted  your 
letter  of  this  morning  to  the  Prince,  and  will  take  an 
opportunity  of  calling  his  attention  to  the  report  and  the 
proceedings  of  the  meeting  of  the  Sunderland  Local 
Committee,  which  you  enclose.  You  know  the  interest  His 
Ro3ral  Highness  takes  in  this  question,  and  that  he  is  as 
anxious  as  you  can  be  that  the  present  movement  in  favour 
of  the  extension  of  science  to  productive  industry  should 
not  be  allowed  to  fall  dead.  But  the  mode  of  best  effect- 
ing this  object  requires  most  careful  consideration. 

What  has  just  happened  to  you  shows  the  great  danger 
to  be  apprehended  if  any  suspicion  or  alarm  should  arise 
in  the  mind  of  the  religious  world.  Eager  as  the  desire 
for  instruction  and  knowledge  may  be,  with  all  the  in- 
creased force  which  that  desire  has  acquired  from  the 
results  of  the  Exhibition,  I  doubt  whether  it  could  enable 
you  successfully  to  resist  a  cry  of  "godless  instruction." 
Already  you  have  been  brought  upon  your  knees  ;  and  the 
question  is  whether  your  repentance,  however  deep  and 
sincere,    will   avail   you.       The   note   of  alarm   has  been 


138  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

sounded,  and  you  will  now  have  to  be  doubly  on  your 
guard   in   any   scheme    which    you   may   propose    which 
avowedly   involves   "  National  Education."      To  do   any 
good,  you  must  carefully  shun  the  vexata  qucestio  of  "  by 
whom  "  such  education  is  to  be  conducted.     Once  get  into 
that  troubled  sea,  and  you  are  swallowed  up  in  the  vortex 
of  contending  parties.      On  this  question  the  ground  is 
already  occupied.     Everyone  (some  in  one  sense,  some  in 
another,  but  all  equally  doggedly)  has  made  up  his  mind, 
and  is  wedded  to  the  particular  system  by  which  alone  he 
thinks  any  good  can  be  effected.     Look  at  the  fate  of  all 
attempts  up  to  this  time — of  all  measures  introduced  into 
Parliament  that  have  connection  with  this  subject.     Look 
to  your  own  late  experience,  and  consider  the  danger,  if 
an  "  educational "  system  is  inconsiderately  urged  forward, 
of  provoking  an  opposition  which  may  be  carried  success- 
fully beyond  the  particular  system  against  which  it  was 
first  directed,  to  any  system  which  has  for  its  object  to 
extend  the  application  of  science  and  industry.       I  like 
Mr  Moodey's  speech  much,  and  what  he  says  seems  to  me 
to  tally  with  the  practical  course  which,  as  I  understand  it, 
the  Prince  advocates.     "  Carry  out,"  he  says,  "  the  objects 
of  their  Mechanics'   Institute  with   greater   force.     They 
had  already  a  museum,  a  sort  of  raree  show,  which  had 
yet  served  no  practical  purpose  ;  connect  it  with  the  pro- 
posed Institution,  furnish  it  with  suitable  specimens  of  our 
four  staples,  get  scientific  gentlemen  to  attend,  say  from 
seven  to  nine  in  the  evenings,  not  to  give  finely-framed 
lectures,  but  to  take  out  specimens  and  explain  them  so 
that  the  hearers   may  thoroughly   understand  and  never 
forget   them."      However,   my   object   was   not  to   enter 
upon  what  ought  to  be  done,  but   to  point  out  by  His 
Royal  Highness's  desire  the  danger  of  alarming  the  reli- 
gious world   by   any  avowed   educational   scheme   which 
might  stir  up  a  storm  in  which  both  his  plan  and  yours 
would  be  equally  wrecked. 

Believe  me, 

Yours  very  truly, 

C.  Grey. 


THE   GREAT   EXHIBITION.  1 39 

It  is  not  merely  for  its  bearing  upon  the  threatened 
theological  opposition  to  technical  education  that  I  have 
quoted  the  foregoing  letter.  In  the  few  words  of  practical 
advice  with  which  it  ends  may  be  found  the  germ  of  one 
section  of  the  great  scheme  eventually  adopted  by  the 
Commissioners  of  the  1851  Exhibition — the  establishment 
in  local  centres  of  branch  schools  ot  technical  and  practical 
training. 

The  work  of  preparing  the  Report  of  the  185 1  Com- 
missioners fell  largely  to  Playfair,  and  during  its  progress 
he  was  in  constant  communication  not  only  with  the 
Commissioners  of  the  Exhibition  but  with  the  Prince 
Consort. 

Colonel  Grey  to  Playfair.  March  22nd,  1852. 

I  hear  from  the  Executive  Committee  that  the  Report 
and  Appendices  are  all  about  ready,  with  the  exception  of 
the  Jury  Reports.  I  write  a  line  by  desire  of  His  Royal 
Highness  Prince  Albert  to  remind  you  that  the  month 
of  March  is  nearly  over  ;  and  that  he  will  be  much  dis- 
appointed if  anything  should  occur  to  delay  the  appearance 
of  the  Report  by  the  1st  of  May. 

Yours  truly, 

C.  Grey. 

Same  to  the  same.  Kensington  Palace,  May  igth,  1852. 

Dear  Dr  Playfair, — Your  draft  winding-up,  I  am 
afraid,  will  not  do.  In  the  first  place,  His  Royal  Highness 
thinks  it  too  long,  and  that  where  it  merely  repeats  what 
has  been  already  said,  it  should  be  much  shorter.  A  simple 
re'suine,  in  fact,  of  the  various  points  which  have  been  already 
treated  of — little  more,  indeed,  than  the  Prince's  memo- 
randum, which  gave  the  heads  from  which  Baring  compiled 
the  Report.  Where  you  get  to  new  matter,  you  go  too 
quick,  and  enter  into  a  detail  with  your  scholarships,  etc., 
that  is  quite  premature  ;  and  the  Prince  thinks  therefore  it 
will  be  better  to  reconsider  this  part  of  the  Report. 


I40  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

There  are  many  other  letters  of  similar  purport,  showing 
how  close  was  the  attention  which  the  Prince  bestowed 
upon  the  details  of  the  great  scheme,  and  how  anxious  he 
was  to  secure  for  it  a  favourable  reception  from  the  public. 
When  at  last  it  appeared,  the  Press  received  it  coldly,  and 
it  was  openly  attacked  in  some  quarters.  Yet  out  of  it 
grew,  as  has  already  been  pointed  out,  the  greatest  of  all 
educational  movements  which  this  century  has  witnessed 
in  England.  It  is  time  that  I  should  briefly  indicate  the 
character  of  the  scheme  that  was  finally  adopted  by  the 
Commissioners — a  scheme  which  both  in  its  conception 
and  development  received  the  most  active  assistance  from 
Lyon  Playfair. 

The  actual  surplus  from  the  Exhibition  of  185 1,  after 
allowing  for  all  expenses,  including  the  presentation  of 
medals  to  the  numerous  jurors,  was  ,£186,436.  Large  as 
this  amount  was,  it  was  soon  found  to  be  insufficient  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the  plan  which  had  been 
finally  adopted  by  the  Prince  Consort  and  his  confidential 
advisers.  Application  was  made  to  Parliament,  and  a  grant 
of  .£150,000  was  made  by  the  House  of  Commons.  With 
this  sum,  two  estates  and  a  portion  of  a  third  in  South 
Kensington  were  purchased.  The  Gore  House  estate 
consisted  of  twenty-one  acres,  and  extended  from  the 
Kensington  Road  about  a  quarter  way  down  the  present 
Exhibition  Road.  The  Villiers  estate  of  forty-eight  acres 
comprised  the  land  upon  which  the  greater  part  of  Queen's 
Gate  has  since  been  erected,  as  well  as  the  site  of  Cromwell 
Road,  the  existing  Natural  History  Museum  and  the 
Science  Museums.  The  Harrington  estate,  seventeen 
acres  of  which  were  purchased,  included  the  site  of  the 
Art  Museum  which  now  faces  the  Brompton  Road.  At 
the  time  when  the  purchase  was  made,  these  valuable 
properties  consisted  of  little  more  than  fields  intersected 
by  narrow  lanes.     A  few  houses — one  or  two  of  consider- 


THE   GREAT   EXHIBITION.  141 

able   pretensions,   but  many  little  more  than  farmhouses 
or  cottages — were   scattered    over  the    ground.     In  the 
year  1851,  partridges  were    shot   on   the  ground  where 
the  Natural  History  Museum  now  stands.     But  the  keen 
business  eyes  of  those   who  were   advising    the    Prince 
Consort  in  this  matter  had  detected  the  possibilities  of  the 
estate  which  was  formed  by  the  purchase  ;  and  the  con- 
sent of  Parliament  had  been  secured  for  this  portion  of  the 
scheme.     The  desire  of  the   Prince   was  that  the   great 
existing  institutions   of  London,   including  the  National 
Gallery  and  Royal  Academy,  should  be  brought  together 
on  the  site  which  was  now  for  the   first  time  formally 
denominated  "  South   Kensington."     Around  these  insti- 
tutions were  to  be   raised  a  new  Museum   of  Art,   and 
another  devoted  to  Science.     Such  was  in  brief  the  original 
proposal  of  the  Prince  and   the   Commissioners.     It  was 
carried  out  only  in  part.     The  removal  of  the  National 
Gallery  from  Trafalgar  Square  to  South  Kensington  was 
successfully  resisted ;  but  where  it  was  first  proposed  to 
place  the  National  Gallery,  the  Natural  History  Museum 
has  since  been  erected ;  whilst  all  who  know  the  South 
Kensington  of  to-day  are  aware  ot  the  number  of  import- 
ant public  institutions  which  have  been  established  upon 
the  site  secured  by  the  Exhibition  Commissioners.    Yet  it 
may  be  said  with  truth  that  the  housing  of  these  specific 
institutions  on  the  South  Kensington  site  has  been  the  least 
important  part  of  the  work  accomplished  by  the  Com- 
missioners of  1 85 1.     The  central  feature  of  the  Prince's 
scheme  was  the  establishment  of  a  practical  institution  for 
the  application  of  science  and  art  to  productive  industry. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  the  two  great  institutions,  one 
long  known  to  the  world  as  the  South  Kensington,  and 
now  as  the  Victoria  and  Albert  Museum,  and  the  other  as 
the  Royal  College  of  Science. 

In  March,  1853,  the  Science  and  Art  Department  was 


142  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

formed.  Under  it  was  combined  the  existing  School  of 
Design  with  the  schools  established  in  local  centres  in 
different  towns  of  the  United  Kingdom,  the  Museum  of 
Practical  Geology,  and  its  associated  Schools  of  Mines. 
The  Museum  of  Irish  Industry  and  the  Royal  Dublin 
Society,  both  of  which  were  supported  by  Parliamentary 
grants,  were  associated  with  the  new  Department,  whilst 
provision  was  made  for  the  establishment  of  a  School  or 
College  of  the  highest  class  in  Science  and  Art  for  the 
instruction  of  students  and  the  education  of  teachers  for 
the  local  institutions  throughout  the  country.  In  the  first 
sketch  of  the  scheme,  Mr  Cole,  who  already  filled  the 
office  of  Superintendent  in  the  Department  of  Practical 
Art,  was  made  Secretary  of  the  Art  Department,  whilst 
Playfair  received  a  similar  appointment  in  the  Department 
of  Science,  his  salary  being  .£1,000  a  year,  and  an  allow- 
ance of  £"350  for  travelling  expenses.  It  was  very  soon 
found,  however,  that  this  arrangement  was  not  a  good 
one,  as  there  was  no  provision  for  the  joint  working  of  the 
two  Departments.  Accordingly,  Mr  Cole,  in  1855,  was 
appointed  Inspector-General,  and  Playfair  Secretary,  ol 
the  united  Departments,  no  alteration  being  made  in  their 
respective  emoluments.  The  Science  and  Art  Depart- 
ment, having  been  formally  created,  was  taken  out  of 
the  control  of  the  Board  of  Trade,  which  had  previously 
been  the  governing  authority  of  the  School  of  Mines,  and 
transferred  to  the  charge  of  the  Education  Department  of 
the  Privy  Council. 

The  first  building  operations  began  towards  the  close 
of  1856,  when  an  edifice  of  corrugated  iron,  long 
familiarly  known  to  the  people  of  London  as  "the 
Brompton  boilers,"  was  erected  on  that  part  of  the  site 
which  lay  to  the  east  of  Exhibition  Road.  Here  the 
first  museum  of  industrial  art  which  had  been  formed  in 
England   was   temporarily   housed.      The    origin    of   the 


THE   GREAT   EXHIBITION.  1 43 

museum  was  a  grant  which  had  been  made  by  the 
Treasury  in  1851  for  the  purchase  of  exhibits  from  the 
Great  Exhibition  that  had  practical  value  as  specimens  of 
Art  and  Manufacture.  The  amount  of  this  grant  was 
.£5,000,  and  from  this  grain  of  mustard  seed  has  grown 
the  splendid  collection  which  is  now  housed  in  many 
galleries  and  buildings  in  South  Kensington,  and  which 
before  long  is  to  have  a  stately  home  on  the  historic 
site. 

.The  organisation  of  the  Royal  College  of  Science 
naturally  fell  heavily  upon  Playfair's  shoulders.  A  great 
national  institution  had  to  be  founded,  and  the  task  was 
not  a  light  one.  It  was  not  without  many  a  struggle  and 
many  a  feud  that  the  Science  and  Art  Department  at  last 
took  shape.  It  would  never  have  been  brought  into 
existence  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  enlightened  and 
elevated  public  spirit  of  the  Prince  Consort — a  man  to 
whom  England  owes  more  than  it  does  to  any  other 
human  being  for  the  development  of  scientific  training. 
It  is  not  less  certain  that  in  the  initial  stages  of  the  work 
Playfair's  enthusiasm  and  wonderful  capacity  for  labour 
were  of  invaluable  service.  If  to  Sir  Henry  Cole  belongs 
the  credit  of  having  placed  the  Art  Department  upon  the 
lines  on  which  it  was  subsequently  developed,  to  Playfair 
no  less  belongs  the  honour  of  having  given  form  and 
substance  to  that  part  of  the  scheme  which  was  specially 
related  to  the  establishment  of  a  national  system  of 
scientific  instruction.  Under  the  Prince  Consort,  he  may 
be  said  to  have  been  the  father  of  the  Science  Depart- 
ment ;  and  it  was  his  happy  lot  not  only  to  continue  his 
connection  with  it  for  more  than  forty  years,  but  at  a  date 
long  subsequent  to  that  of  its  foundation  to  rescue  it  from 
a  state  of  financial  depression  into  which  it  had  been 
allowed  to  fall  by  those  immediately  responsible  for  its 
management,  and  thus  to  save  it  from  a  crisis  which  well- 


144  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

nigh  threatened  its  very  existence.  This  part  of  the  story 
belongs,  however,  to  a  later  period  in  Playfair's  life.  For 
the  present  I  have  merely  sought  to  set  forth  those  facts 
which  throw  light  upon  his  close  association  with  the 
beginnings  of  the  new  Department,  and  upon  the  nature 
of  the  labours  which  he  had  to  undergo  in  connection 
with  its  foundation. 

It  was  whilst  he  was  busily  engaged  in  the  preliminary 
labours  of  the  Exhibition  Commissioners  that  he  received 
a  compliment  which  he  valued  highly.  This  was  his 
election  by  the  committee  of  the  Athenaeum  Club  as  a 
member  of  that  institution.  A  characteristic  story  is  told 
in  connection  with  this  election.  The  rule  requires  that 
the  committee  shall  be  unanimous  in  its  choice  of  the 
member  upon  whom  it  confers  the  honour  of  special 
election.  Playfair  heard  that  there  was  one  member  of 
the  committee,  and  one  only,  who  had  expressed  some 
feeling  of  hostility  to  him.  He  wrote  to  this  gentleman, 
and,  telling  him  that  he  knew  he  was  to  be  nominated 
for  election,  asked  him  to  do  him  the  honour  of  being  his 
proposer.  The  election,  it  need  scarcely  be  said,  was 
unanimous. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

EDUCATIONAL     REFORM. 

Attending  the  Royal  Children  at  the  Exhibition — Arranging  for  the  Prince 
Consort's  Visit  to  Birmingham.  Autobiography:  Lecturing  for  the 
Society  of  Arts  :  Inquiring  into  Technical  Education  on  the  Continent : 
Organising  the  "Food  Collection"  for  the  South  Kensington  Museum  : 
Establishing  a  National  Museum  in  Edinburgh  :  Dr  George  Wilson 
and  his  Dying  Epigram  :  Crusading  in  the  Cause  of  Technical  Edu- 
cation :  The  Duke  of  Wellington's  Funeral :  Sir  Charles  Wheatstone  : 
Reading  Ciphers  in  '  The  Times  ' :  Acquaintance  with  Babbage :  Lord 
and  Lady  Ashburton  :  Mrs  Norton  :  Lord  Granville :  Lord  Palmerston 
and  the  Cipher :  Inventing  Shells :  Lord  Dundonald's  Scheme  for 
Reducing  Fortresses  :  Appointed  a  Commissioner  of  the  International 
Exhibition  of  1855  :  Acquaintance  with  French  Savants  :  Missing  the 
Mastership  of  the  Mint :  Second  Marriage.  Faraday  on  the  New 
Lucifer  Matches — Playfair's  Contempt  for  Misplaced  Humanitarian- 
ism  in  War— Liebig  on  Scientific  Agriculture. 

I  must  anticipate  Playfair's  own  account  of  his  life 
between  1851  and  1858,  in  order  to  touch  upon  some 
incidents  that  ought  not  to  be  omitted  from  his  biography. 
The  reader  has  seen  from  letters  published  in  the  last 
chapter  how  close  had  become  the  connection  between 
Playfair  and  the  Prince  Consort.  His  appointment  as 
Gentleman  Usher  to  His  Royal  Highness  gave  him  free 
access  to  the  Prince.  The  office  was  little  more  than  a 
nominal  one,  and  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  fact  that  the 
Prince  found  in  Playfair  a  congenial  colleague  and  assistant 
in  the  development  of  his  cherished  educational  schemes,  it 
is  probable  that  they  would  not  have  seen  much  of  each 
other.  As  it  was,  Playfair's  advice  and  assistance  were 
constantly  sought  upon  all  matters  that  bore  in  any  way 

K 


146  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

upon  the  scientific  and  educational  subjects  in  which  the 
Prince  took  so  deep  an  interest.  During  the  time  when 
the  Exhibition  of  1851  still  remained  open,  it  had  been 
Playfair's  duty  to  attend  the  Royal  children  on  their 
frequent  visits  to  the  Exhibition. 

Colonel  Grey  to  Play/air.       Windsor  Castle,  October  igth,  185 1. 

Dear  Dr  Playfair, — The  Royal  children  are  anxious 
to  present  you  with  their  portraits  as  a  slight  expression  of 
their  sense  of  the  attention  they  met  from  you  during  their 
visits  to  the  Exhibition.  The  Prince  desires  me  therefore, 
in  their  name,  to  send  you  the  accompanying  prints  in 
remembrance  of  those  visits. 

Believe  me, 

Yours  very  truly, 

C.  Grey. 

There  were  many  matters  connected  with  the  develop- 
ment of  the  system  of  scientific  education  which  engaged 
Playfair's  close  attention  during  the  years  that  followed 
the  inception  of  the  South  Kensington  scheme. 

Colonel  Grey  to  Play/air.      Windsor  Castle,  January  5th,  1853. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  have  written  to  Lord  Gran- 
ville to  know  if  he  can  be  here  on  Saturday  next  at 
five  o'clock.  Perhaps  you  would  communicate  with  him, 
and  find  out  if  he  can  come,  and  in  that  case,  the  Prince 
would  be  glad  if  you  could  come  too,  that  you  might  talk 
over  the  proposed  School  of  Practical  Science.  Your  letter 
from  Sheffield  was  very  satisfactory,  but  I  had  a  letter 
from  Owen  the  same  day  from  the  neighbourhood  of 
Wolverhampton,  giving  a  very  different  account  of  the  dis- 
position of  the  ironmasters.  I  had  a  long  and  interesting 
letter  from  Bowring1  to-day,  who  begins  to  be  anxious  for 

Mr.  E.  A.  Bowring  had  been  appointed  secretary  to  the  Commissioners 
for  the  Exhibition  of  1851 


EDUCATIONAL  REFORM.  1 47 

some  positive  step  in  advance.  I  am  just  as  much  so  as  he 
is,  but  I  see  the  impossibility  of  doing  anything  till  all  the 
land  difficulties  are  cleared  away.  I  was  in  hopes  that 
we  should  have  heard  from  Cubitt  ere  this  that  he  had 
brought  Lord  Harrington  to  terms. 

One  of  the  principal  educational  events  of  1855  was  the 
visit  of  Prince  Albert  to  Birmingham  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  part  in  the  laying  of  the  first  stone  of  the  Birming- 
ham and  Midland  Institute.  This  was  regarded  at  the 
time  as  one  of  the  most  striking  results  of  the  new  move- 
ment for  scientific  training.  The  address  of  Prince  Albert 
at  the  luncheon  after  the  ceremony  has  been  quoted  in 
recent  years1  as  "the  charter  of  the  new  system  of 
teaching."  Some  idea  of  the  labour  laid  upon  those  who 
had  charge  of  the  arrangements  for  the  Prince's  visit 
to  Birmingham,  and  of  the  extent  of  Play  fair's  duties  in 
connection  with  the  Prince's  household,  may  be  gathered 
from  the  following  letters  : — 

Colonel  Grey  to  Playfair. 

Windsor  Castle,  November  igth   1855. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  have  just  talked  the  pro- 
gramme over  with  the  Prince.  It  might  possibly  be 
expected  that  he  would  give  the  toast  of  the  Midland 
Institute,  etc.,  the  proposer  of  which  I  see  is  left  blank  ; 
but  His  Royal  Highness  means  to  say  all  he  wishes  to  say 
on  the  subject  in  returning  thanks  for  his  own  health,  and 
as  there  is  a  great  deal  of  singing  put  down  to  follow  each 
toast,  which  would  make  it  a  long  business,  he  thinks  it  will 
be  better  that  he  should  leave  as  soon  as  the  toast  of  "  The 
Army  and  Navy"  has  been  drunk.  This  will  be  none  too 
soon  to  enable  him  to  get  back  to  Windsor  in  good  time. 
He  would  be  much  obliged  to  you  if  you  would  go,  as  you 
propose,  to  Birmingham  the  night  before  to  see  that  all  is 

1  By  Sir  Norman  Lockyer. 


I48  MEMOIRS  OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

perfectly  arranged.  The  chorale  after  his  own  health  he 
wishes  not  played  or  sung  till  after  he  has  returned  thanks, 
otherwise  he  says  it  would  put  him  out.  Pray  take  care  of 
this.  Also  arrange  that  the  different  addresses  shall  be 
all  presented  on  the  railway  platform — the  Corporation 
Address  being  the  only  one  read  and  answered.  H.R.H. 
would  prefer  half-past  twelve  as  the  time  for  his  arrival, 
otherwise  he  will  hardly  get  to  luncheon  by  two,  and  his 
return  would  be  too  long  delayed. 

I  write  in  haste. 

Ever  yours  truly, 

C.  Grey. 

Same  to  the  same.  Windsor  Castle,  November  26th,  1855. 

My  dear  Playfair, — The  Prince  cannot  but  be 
gratified  by  the  accounts  sent  him  on  all  sides  of  the 
success  of  his  speech.  He  is  anxious  that  it  should  be 
correctly  printed  in  the  separate  form,  and  would  there- 
fore wish  that  the  proof  might  be  sent  to  me  for  correction 
before  it  is  struck  off.  There  were  one  or  two  mistakes — 
in  one  instance  a  rather  important  one.  Did  I  tell  you 
that  I  got  a  message  from  M —  wishing  the  Prince  to  wait 
for  his  speech  ?  (at  least  so  I  understood  the  message). 
Everything  went  off  as  well  as  possible,  and  the  people  of 
Birmingham  would  indeed  have  amply  atoned  for  any 
offence,  even  if  such  had  existed,  but  the  Prince  is  quite  at 
a  loss  to  know  what  can  have  given  rise  to  such  a  notion. 

Ever  yours, 

C.  Grey. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY    CONTINUED. — VI. 

1851  to  1858. 

After  the  close  of  the  Exhibition  the  Society  of  Arts 
organised  a  term  of  lectures  for  the  purpose  of  drawing 
public  attention  to  the  lessons  which  should  be  drawn  from 
the  Exhibition.     At   that   time    England  was   in    a   very 


EDUCATIONAL  REFORM.  149 

backward  state  in  regard  to  technical  education  both  in 
science  and  art.  My  two  lectures  were  devoted  to  this 
subject,  and,  at  the  time,  they  awakened  considerable  public 
interest.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the  efforts  to  arouse 
public  attention  to  the  need  of  reforming  our  education  so 
as  to  fit  it  for  the  increasing  competition  of  the  world. 
The  improved  methods  of  locomotion  both  by  sea  and 
land  had  altered  the  whole  conditions  of  manufacturing 
industry.  The  possession  of  raw  materials,  such  as  coal 
and  iron,  had  long  given  to  a  country  like  Great  Britain 
a  supremacy  in  manufactures,  because  economy  of  produc- 
tion was  the  most  important  condition  for  success.  When 
science  offered  new  and  economical  production  through 
improved  machinery,  and  when  the  demands  of  an  increas- 
ing civilisation  required  the  best  forms  of  art  to  adorn  the 
products,  it  became  obvious  that  a  nation  which  cultivated 
science  and  art  must  have  a  great  advantage  over  a  country 
which  depended  too  exclusively  on  the  more  practical 
aptitudes  of  its  people.  Raw  material  had  now  become 
a  decreasing  factor  in  production,  while  intellect,  trained 
in  the  application  of  science  and  art,  became  an  ever- 
increasing  factor. 

I  therefore  determined  to  visit  the  leading  countries 
of  Europe  in  order  to  become  acquainted  with  their 
S3rstem  of  education,  especially  in  relation  to  their 
systems  of  technical  instruction.  Accordingly  I  went  to 
France,  Holland,  Belgium,  Germany,  Austria  and  the 
Scandinavian  States,  everywhere  meeting  the  most  cor- 
dial reception  from  the  Ministers  of  Education  and  other 
authorities.  The  Great  Exhibition  had  brought  me  into 
contact  with  the  leading  manufacturers  of  these  countries, 
so  that  my  educational  tour,  though  in  no  sense  official, 
met  with  the  same  facilities  as  if  it  had  been  a  Government 
inquiry. 

On  returning  to  London  I  gave  the  results  of  this 
tour  in  an  introductory  lecture  to  the  School  of  Mines, 
under  the  title,  "  Industrial  Instruction  on  the  Continent." 
This  lecture  was  attended  by  several  of  the  members  of 
the  Government,  and  by  some  leading  statesmen  of  both 


150  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

political  parties.  It  was  afterwards  published  in  the 
'  Records  of  the  School  of  Mines.'  It  certainly  gave  a 
considerable  impulse  to  technical  education  in  England. 
Soon  after  this,  in  1852,  the  Government  determined  to 
establish  the  "  Department  of  Science  and  Art,"  and  offered 
me  the  position  of  "  Secretary  for  Science,"  and  Sir  Henry 
Cole  that  of  "  Secretary  for  Art." 

The  Prince  Consort  took  a  warm  interest  in  this  out- 
come of  his  Great  Exhibition.  In  fact  the  organisation  of 
the  Department  was  largely  owing  to  his  advice,  and  was 
the  result  of  many  visits  to  Windsor  Castle  by  Lord 
Granville,  Cole  and  myself. 

Many  valuable  objects  had  been  presented  to  the  Com- 
missioners of  the  Great  Exhibition  with  the  view  of 
founding  a  museum,  and  these  became  the  nucleus  of 
that  wonderful  collection  which  owes  so  much  to  Sir 
Henry  Cole's  energy,  and  is  now  known  as  the  South 
Kensington  Museum,  probably  the  greatest  museum  of  its 
kind  in  the  world.  In  the  presents  referred  to  there  were 
numerous  specimens  of  raw  materials,  especially  of  grains 
and  other  alimentary  substances.  These  were  used  to 
form  "the  Food  Collection,"  which  has  been  so  much 
visited  by  the  working  classes.  It  is  now  at  Bethnal 
Green.  It  would  have  been  useless  to  display  the  analyses 
of  various  foods  in  statistical  tables  which  no  one  would 
read,  so  I  tried  the  experiment  of  showing  the  actual 
ingredients  in  a  pound  of  food.  Thus  1  lb.  of  maize  was 
divided  into  so  much  flesh-forming  materials,  so  much 
woody  fibre,  water,  fat,  sugar,  gum,  starch,  etc.,  so  that 
the  eye  could  at  once  observe  the  quantities,  while  the 
results  of  the  printed  analysis  could  easily  be  copied  if 
the  visitor  desired  to  do  so. 

This  system  of  instructional  display  is  now  followed 
in  every  museum,  but  at  that  time  it  was  novel. 
When  a  working  man  was  told  that  100  lb.  of  potatoes 
contained  only  2  lb.  of  flesh-formers,  while  the  same 
quantity  of  beans  contained  upwards  of  twenty  pounds, 
he  scarcely  grasped  the  difference.  But  when  in  the 
same    show-case    he    saw    the    small    amount    of  flesh- 


EDUCATIONAL   REFORM.  151 

formers  in  a  pound  of  potatoes  sprinkled  over  the  bottom 
of  a  box,  and  the  large  amount  heaped  up  in  a  correspond- 
ing box  for  beans,  peas,  or  lentils,  he  learned  a  practical 
lesson  through  the  eye  and  never  forgot  it.  The  temper- 
ance societies  took  up  this  subject  warmly.  Thus,  when 
we  showed  how  much  water  and  spirits  were  in  a  gallon  of 
alcoholic  drinks,  and  how  insignificant  were  the  nutritive 
materials  even  in  beer,  the  cause  of  temperance  received 
more  support  than  from  any  number  of  lectures.  Ultimately 
this  food  museum  led  to  a  demand  for  schools  of  cookery, 
which  have  proved  beneficial  to  the  working  classes.  This 
collection  of  food  was,  however,  a  mere  appendage  to  the 
South  Kensington  Museum,  which  was  intended  for  art, 
and  not  for  science.  The  Science  Museums  in  connection 
with  the  Department  were  not  at  South  Kensington.  The 
Museum  of  Practical  Geology  was  in  Jermyn  Street, 
and  a  Museum  of  Industry,  under  Sir  Robert  Kane, 
was  in  Dublin. 

At  this  time  there  was  no  national  museum  in  Edinburgh. 
I  went  down  to  that  city  and  negotiated  with  the  Uni- 
versity and  the  Town  Council  for  establishing  a  museum  in 
the  metropolis  of  the  north.  The  municipality  offered  free 
land  for  building,  and  the  University  agreed  to  hand  over 
its  splendid  collections  of  natural  history.  On  reporting  to 
Government  the  result  of  these  negotiations,  an  applica- 
tion was  made  to  Parliament,  which  voted  the  necessary 
sums  for  building  and  supporting  a  national  museum  in 
Edinburgh. 

In  1855,  my  old  friend  and  fellow-student,  Dr.  George 
Wilson,  was  appointed  curator  of  this  museum.  Let  me 
say  a  few  words  about  this  remarkable  man,  who  is  now 
best  known  to  the  world  by  his  '  Life  of  Cavendish,'  and  by 
his  charming  book,  '  The  Five  Gateways  of  Knowledge.' 
He  was  always  in  delicate  health,  so  much  so  that  no 
insurance  office  would  accept  the  risk  of  his  life.  In  spite 
of  this  he  was  an  indefatigable  worker,  and  was  so  much 
beloved  that  contributions  to  the  new  museum  were  freely 
given  from  all  parts  of  the  kingdom.  To  him  is  largely 
clue  the  increase  and  popularity  of  the  Edinburgh  Museum. 


152  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

George  Wilson  never  had  an  enemy.  His  mind  was  culti- 
vated, a  vein  of  humour  like  that  of  Edward  Forbes 
running  through  all  his  work.  Some  years  later  (Novem- 
ber, 1859),  when  I  was  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the 
University  of  Edinburgh,  George  Wilson  died,  and  the  city 
gave  him  a  public  funeral.  In  his  last  illness  he  was 
attended  by  two  medical  colleagues,  Professor  Bennet  and 
Dr  Laycock,  who  as  usual  took  opposite  opinions  as  to  the 
nature  of  his  malady.  George  Wilson  was  amused  at  this 
professional  dispute,  and  asked  for  paper  in  order  to  write 
his  own  epitaph,  which  ran  as  follows  : — 

"  Here  lies  George  Wilson  o'ertaken  by  Nemesis ; 
He  died  of  Haemoptysis  not  of  Hematemesis." 

George  Wilson  was  one  of  the  legitimate  successors  in 
literary  faculty  to  Scott,  Jeffrey,  and  Wilson  of  '  Black- 
wood's Magazine,'  though  his  scientific  tastes  led  him 
aside  from  pure  literature. 

The  art  section  of  the  new  Government  department 
progressed  more  rapidly  than  that  of  science.  Already 
there  were  various  "  schools  of  design  "  in  London  and  the 
provinces,  so  these  could  readily  be  adapted  to  schools  of 
art.  But  there  was  then  not  a  single  school  or  college  of 
science  except  Owens  College  in  Manchester  and  the 
Andersonian  College  at  Glasgow. 

Having  great  faith  in  the  education  of  public  opinion,  I 
began  a  crusade  in  favour  of  technical  education.  It  was 
weary  and  dreary  work.  My  voice  sounded  to  myself  as 
the  voice  of  one  preaching  in  the  wilderness.  At  first  there 
was  no  response,  except  a  few  schools  of  navigation  in  the 
seaports.  But  I  hope  and  believe  that  these  efforts  were 
not  thrown  away.  Now  there  is  scarcely  a  large  town  in 
Great  Britain  that  has  not  a  college  of  science  ;  and  my 
successor  in  the  department,  Colonel  Donnelly,  has  been 
able,  under  the  improved  public  demand,  to  organise  an 
extensive  scheme  of  scientific  education  for  the  working 
classes.  Several  of  these  colleges  of  science  have  asked 
me  to  open  them  to  the  public,  in  recognition  of  my  earlier 
labours  to  educate  public  opinion. 


EDUCATIONAL   REFORM.  1 53 

It  may  be  instructive  to  point  out  how  slowly  and  yet 
how  surely  public  opinion  responds  to  a  movement  in 
favour  of  reform  if  that  be  founded  on  public  needs.  In 
1 85 1  I  lectured  to  the  Society  of  Arts  in  favour  of  changes 
in  our  educational  system  adapted  to  the  practical  needs 
of  the  country.  In  1852  the  Department  of  Science  and 
Art  was  formed.  On  the  15th  May,  1867,  I  issued  a  new 
warning  to  the  country  in  a  letter  addressed  to  Lord 
Taunton,  the  Chairman  of  the  Public  Schools  Inquiry 
Commission.  In  this  letter  occurs  the  following  passage  : 
"That  as  an  inevitable  result  of  the  attention  given  to 
technical  education  abroad  and  of  its  neglect  in  England, 
other  nations  must  advance  in  industry  at  a  greater  rate 
than  our  own  country  ;  .  .  .  this  result  has  already 
arrived  for  some  of  our  staple  industries."  The  Public 
Schools  Inquiry  Commission  circulated  this  letter  to  the 
leading  manufacturers  and  men  of  science,  and  a  Parlia- 
mentary report  was  published  of  communications  sent  to 
the  Commission.  In  the  same  year  a  public  meeting, 
presided  over  by  Lord  Granville,  was  held  at  the  Society 
of  Arts  to  promote  technical  education,  the  first  resolution 
being  proposed  by  me  and  seconded  by  Lord  John  Russell, 
afterwards  Earl  Russell. 

In  1887  another  public  meeting  was  held  at  the  same 
place,  presided  over  by  Lord  Hartington,  at  which  I  again 
proposed  the  first  resolution,  which  was  seconded  by  the 
Right  Hon.  John  Morley.  I  now  feel  that  this  work 
may  be  left  to  younger  men,  but  I  hope  they  will  not 
take  their  hands  from  the  plough  till  England  has 
adapted  its  system  of  education  to  the  changed  conditions 
of  competition. 

In  September,  1S52,  the  great  Duke  of  Wellington  died, 
and  I  was  present  at  the  State  funeral  in  attendance  on 
the  Prince  Consort.  The  iSth  of  November,  1852,  was  a 
day  of  mourning  throughout  the  United  Kingdom.  The 
Department  of  Science  and  Art  had  been  instructed  to 
prepare  designs  and  to  secure  the  construction  of  a  State 
funeral  car.  It  was  made  of  bronze,  and  was  quickly 
executed  by  Messrs  Tyler.     But,  though  a  beautiful  work 


154  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

of  art,  it  was  altogether  a  mistake.  It  would  have  better 
suited  the  great  military  hero  had  his  coffin  been  placed  on 
a  gun-carriage  instead  of  on  this  ponderous  car.  Its  great 
weight  interfered  with  the  progress  of  the  procession,  for 
it  broke  down  a  sewer  in  St.  James's  Park,  and  by  this 
accident  the  royal  procession  was  delayed  for  one  or 
two  hours.  A  million  and  a  half  of  people  had  lined 
the  streets  from  Buckingham  Palace  to  St.  Paul's  Cathe- 
dral as  early  as  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  though 
the  procession  began  to  move  at  that  hour  the  royal 
carriages  only  reached  St.  Paul's  about  two  o'clock.  The 
million  and  a  half  spectators  really  mourned  the  death  of 
the  illustrious  hero ;  they  were  not  gathered  together 
merely  to  see  the  stately  pageant  of  a  great  military 
funeral.  Outside  as  well  as  inside  the  cathedral  the  pomp 
and  glitter  of  military  and  civil  uniforms  was  as  nothing  to 
the  mourning  of  a  whole  people.  When  at  three  o'clock 
the  coffin  was  lowered  to  its  last  resting  place  amidst  the 
mournful  dirge  of  the  choir,  there  were  few  dry  eyes  in 
that  great  assembly  of  mourners.  I  have  only  once  been 
so  deeply  moved  at  a  public  funeral  ceremony,  and  that 
was  in  1861,  when  I  had  to  join  in  the  obsequies  of  the 
Prince  Consort. 

My  house  at  this  time  was  on  the  Surrey  side  of 
Hammersmith  Bridge,  and  on  the  other  side  lived  my 
friend  Sir  Charles  Wheatstone.  He,  as  is  well  known, 
was  the  chief  inventor  of  the  electric  telegraph.  Sir 
Charles  was  a  man  of  remarkable  inventive  faculty,  and  at 
the  same  time  a  scientific  discoverer  as  well  as  an  inventor. 
Sir  Charles  Wheatstone,  though  older,  was,  like  myself, 
small  of  stature,  and  we  both  wore  spectacles.  We  were 
constantly  mistaken  for  each  other,  and  we  must  have 
been  alike,  for  once  Lady  Wheatstone  addressed  me  as 
her  husband.  On  Sundays  we  generally  walked  together, 
and  used  to  amuse  ourselves  by  deciphering  the  cipher 
advertisements  in  '  The  Times.'  An  Oxford  student  who 
was  in  a  reading  party  at  Perth  was  so  sure  of  his  cipher 
that  he  kept  up  a  correspondence  with  a  young  lady  in 
London.     This  we  had  no  difficulty  in  reading.     At  last 


EDUCATIONAL   REFORM.  1 55 

he  proposed  an  elopement.  Wheatstone  inserted  as  an 
advertisement  in  '  The  Times '  a  remonstrance  to  the  lady 
in  the  same  cipher,  and  the  last  letter  was,  "  Dear  Charlie, 
write  no  more,  our  cipher  is  discovered  !  "  One  cipher 
appeared  each  month  in  '  The  Times,'  but  it  was  so  short 
that  it  was  difficult  to  read.  At  last  we  made  it  out  to 
be,  "'The  Times'  is  the  Jeffreys  of  the  Press."  Anyone 
acquainted  with  cipher  will  see  that  the  key  to  this  short 
advertisement  was  the  frequent  repetition  of  the  letter 
"  e  "  and  of  the  word  "  the."  On  telling  Delane,  the  editor 
of  'The  Times,'  that  his  paper  was  publishing  its  own 
condemnation  as  the  wicked  judge,  he  was  angry  instead 
of  being  amused  at  the  trick  played. 

In  speaking  of  Wheatstone  I  may  mention  my  presence 
at  a  curious  concert  given  to  the  Queen  and  Prince  Consort 
at  the  Polytechnic  Institution  on  the  iothofMay,  1855. 
This  is  often  quoted  as  proving  that  Wheatstone  invented 
the  telephone,  although  it  had  nothing  in  common  with 
this  invention.  Wheatstone  had  helped  Professor  Pepper 
to  arrange  rods  of  wood  passing  from  the  cellars  of  the 
Institution  to  a  small  lecture  room  on  the  upper  floor. 
Each  of  these  rods  was  connected  with  a  separate  musical 
instrument  played  in  the  cellar,  while  the  music,  being 
conducted  to  the  room  above,  reproduced  itself  on  the 
sounding  boards  of  three  harps.  It  had  a  curious  effect 
to  hear  tunes  played  in  a  room  without  the  appearance 
of  performers. 

Another  philosopher  whom  I  frequently  visited  was 
Babbage,  the  inventor  of  the  calculating  machine.  He 
was  in  chronic  war  with  the  Government  because  it 
refused  to  furnish  supplies  for  his  new  machine,  the  ground 
of  refusal  being  that  he  never  completed  the  first. 
Babbage  was  a  man  full  of  information,  which  he  gave  in 
an  attractive  way.  I  once  went  to  breakfast  with  him  at 
nine  o'clock.  He  explained  to  me  the  working  of  his 
calculating  machine,  and  afterwards  his  methods  of 
signalling  by  coloured  lamps.  As  I  was  engaged  to  lunch 
at  one  o'clock,  I  looked  at  my  watch,  which  indicated 
the   hour  of  four.      This   appeared  obviously  impossible, 


I56  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

so  I  went  into  the  hall  to  look  for  the  correct  time,  and 
to  my  astonishment  that  also  gave  the  hour  as  four. 
The  philosopher  had  in  fact  been  so  fascinating  in  his 
descriptions  and  conversation  that  neither  he  nor  I  had 
noticed  the  lapse  of  time. 

Babbage  always  considered  himself  a  badly  treated 
man,  and  this  feeling  at  last  produced  an  egotism  which 
restricted  the  numbers  of  his  friends.  The  following 
anecdote  is  a  curious  instance  of  this  : — Having  been  at 
Osborne,  I  accompanied  the  Prince  Consort  to  London. 
During  the  journey  I  strongly  urged  the  desirability  of 
the  Crown  bestowing  honours  on  men  of  science.  I 
pointed  out  that  while  the  Army,  Navy,  and  Civil  Service 
received  titles  and  decorations  in  profusion,  the  Crown 
bestowed  few  on  men  of  learning.  The  consequence  was 
that  they  ceased  to  look  on  the  Crown  as  the  fountain  of 
honour,  and  created  titles  for  themselves,  so  that  such 
letters  as  F.R.S.  became  more  esteemed  than  those  like 
K.C.B.  This  separation  of  the  Crown  from  learning  was 
not  wise  in  the  interests  of  Monarchy.  The  Prince 
Consort  readily  admitted  this,  and  asked  what  I  would 
recommend.  I  suggested  that  it  would  produce  a  favour- 
able impression  if  one  or  two  men  of  undoubted  position 
were  made  privy  councillors,  mentioning  Faraday  and 
Babbage  as  two  men  entitled  to  this  honour.  Shortly 
after  this  conversation  I  was  commissioned  to  sound  the 
philosophers  and  ascertain  whether  they  would  like  to  be 
appointed  to  the  Privy  Council.  Unfortunately  I  first 
went  to  Babbage,  who  was  delighted  with  the  suggestion, 
but  made  it  a  condition  that  he  alone  should  be  appointed, 
as  a  reparation  for  all  the  neglect  of  the  Government 
towards  his  inventions.  Even  the  association  ol  such  a 
distinguished  man  as  Faraday  would  take  away  from  the 
recognition  which  was  due  to  him.  This  condition  was 
naturally  disagreeable  to  the  Prince  Consort,  and  no 
further  steps  were  taken  to  open  the  Privy  Council  to 
men  of  science. 

I  must  not  forget  the  names  of  two  friends  who  then 
and   until   their   death   showed   me   great    kindness    and 


EDUCATIONAL  REFORM.  1 57 

hospitality.  They  were  the  Lord  and  Lady  Ashburton  so 
often  mentioned  in  the  Life  and  letters  of  the  Carlyles. 
Lord  Ashburton  was  the  most  amiable  of  men.  He  took 
a  warm  interest  in  promoting  scientific  and  artistic 
education.  We  co-operated  with  Lady  Burdett-Coutts 
in  promoting  "a  knowledge  of  common  things"  in 
elementary  schools,  and  had  frequent  conferences  on  this 
subject.  The  purpose  of  this  movement  was  to  systematise 
object  lessons  in  schools,  and  so  lead  to  elementary  in- 
struction in  science.  We  also  brought  out  together  a 
school  book  on  'Political  Economy.'  This  was  really 
written  by  Mr  Ellis,  who  had  tried  to  establish  secular 
schools,  though  he  feared  that  his  name  as  author  would 
interfere  with  its  popularity  among  denominational  schools. 
In  these  efforts  Dr  Dawes,  the  Dean  of  Hereford,  gave 
his  cordial  assistance. 

The  character  of  Lady  Ashburton  has  been  so  charmingly 
delineated  by  Monckton  Milnes  (Lord  Houghton)  that  I 
would  not  refer  to  her  had  she  not  been  so  caricatured  in 
Mrs  Carlyle's  descriptions  of  her.  Carlyle  himself  knew 
the  merits  of  Lady  Ashburton  and  appreciated  her  at  her 
proper  worth.  To  me  she  was  always  the  kindest  and 
most  gracious  of  friends.  Her  wit  was  sparkling,  frequently 
satirical,  but  never  ill-natured.  Her  hospitality,  both  at 
The  Grange  and  in  London,  was  admirable,  and  I  never 
found  it  marred  by  any  of  those  peculiarities  which  Mrs 
Carlyle  describes.  A  far  better  account  of  The  Grange 
and  its  guests  than  is  to  be  found  in  the  letters  of  Mrs 
Carlyle  is  contained  in  the  biography  of  Taylor,  the  poet, 
although,  perhaps,  I  think  so  because  I  am  almost  the 
only  man  whom  he  treats  with  civility  in  his  descriptions 
of  a  week  at  The  Grange. 

In  London  Lady  Ashburton' s  dinners  were  charming. 
At  one  dinner  I  have  met  at  her  house  Dickens,  Thackeray, 
Carlyle,  and  Tennyson.  I  remember  at  that  dinner 
sitting  next  a  remarkably  handsome  lady  whose  name  I 
did  not  then  know.  She  was  a  brilliant  conversationalist, 
and  took  as  her  theme  that  no  man  of  real  talent  had  ever 
been  in  love.     I  quoted  in  opposition  Abelard  and  Heloise, 


158  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Petrarch  and  Laura,  Dante  and  Beatrice,  and  various  other 
cases,  but  she  classed  them  all  as  instances  of  illusion  or 
passion,  not  of  love.  At  last,  turning  round  her  chair, 
she  said,  "Tell  me  who  you  are  and  I  will  tell  you 
who  I  am."  To  my  pleasure  I  found  that  she  was  the 
authoress,  Mrs  Norton. 

Another  house  at  which  I  was  a  frequent  guest  was  that 
of  Lord  Granville,  in  Carlton  House  Terrace.  His  guests 
were  chiefly  public  men,  and  the  dinners  differed  from 
those  at  Lord  Ashburton's,  but  they  were  equally  charming, 
as  Lord  Granville  himself  was  admirable  in  anecdote  and 
in  his  power  of  drawing  out  conversation  among  his 
guests.  At  one  of  these  dinners  in  January,  1854,  a  curious 
discussion  arose.  Lord  Granville  had  invited  his  colleagues 
in  the  Cabinet  to  dine  with  him,  but  discovered  before 
dinner  that  thirteen  would  be  at  the  table.  Lord  Palmer- 
ston  would  never  dine  with  the  fatal  number,  and  I  as 
an  outsider,  not  then  in  politics,  was  invited  to  make  an 
even  number  at  this  Cabinet  banquet.  After  dinner  Lord 
Palmerston  produced  a  letter  which  had  been  written  by 
a  Bristol  schoolmaster,  remonstrating  with  the  Prince 
Consort  for  injuring  the  English  language  by  careless 
expressions  in  his  speeches.  The  Prince  had  used  the 
word  "  either "  as  covering  more  than  two  alternatives, 
and  the  schoolmaster  contended  that  it  should  be  confined 
to  two.  Lord  Palmerston  was  singularly  interested  in 
this  philological  attack,  and  triumphed  in  the  draft 
answer  which  the  Prince  proposed  to  send,  and  which 
he  then  read.  The  Prince  Consort  quoted  Shakespeare, 
Beaumont  and  Fletcher,  and  other  authors  to  prove  that 
"  either  "  covered  any  number  of  alternatives. 

At  this  dinner  I  explained  to  Lord  Palmerston  Wheat- 
stone's  newly-discovered  symmetrical  cipher,  which  I 
thought  might  be  of  use  in  the  Crimean  War  then 
pending.  It  consists  in  taking  a  key  word  such  as 
"Palmerston,"  and  writing  the  remainder  of  the  alphabet 
symmetrically  under  it.  The  cipher  to  be  sent  consists 
of  the  letters  at  the  opposite  angles  of  the  nearest  rect- 
angle.   I  told  him  that  I  had  irone   with  Wheatstone  to 


EDUCATIONAL   REFORM.  1 59 

the  Foreign  Office  and  explained  it,  but  the  Under 
Secretary  objected  to  it  as  being  too  complicated.  We 
proposed  that  he  should  send  for  four  boys  from  the 
nearest  elementary  school  in  order  to  prove  that  three 
of  them  could  be  taught  to  use  the  cipher  in  a  quarter 
of  an  hour.  The  reply  made  to  this  proposal  by  the 
Under  Secretary  was  complimentary  to  our  diplomatic 
service.  "That  is  very  possible,  but  you  could  never 
teach  it  to  attaches  ! "  I  constructed  an  alphabet  hastily 
with  the  key  word  "  Palmerston,"  and  showed  to  Lord 
Palmerston  and  his  colleagues  how  it  could  be  used. 
The  next  day  I  went  to  Dublin,  and  while  there  I  re- 
ceived two  short  letters  in  cipher,  one  from  Lord 
Palmerston,  the  other  from  Lord  Granville,  showing  that 
they  had  readily  mastered  the  cipher. 

It  was  fortunate  that  the  Department  of  Science  and  Art 
was  founded  in  1853,  because  the  Crimean  War  broke  out 
in  the  following  year  and  heavily  taxed  the  country.  At 
the  beginning  of  the  war  I  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Prince 
Consort  which  he  forwarded  to  the  Master  of  the  Ordnance, 
suggesting  one  or  two  applications  of  science  to  the  pur- 
poses of  war.  One  was  a  hollow  brittle  shell  containing 
phosphorus  dissolved  in  bisulphide  of  carbon  for  the 
purpose  of  producing  conflagration  of  the  enemy's  stores 
or  property.  The  shell  contained  antimony,  so  as  to  make 
it  break  on  a  hard  surface.  It  then  scattered  the  liquid 
over  the  objects  to  be  burned,  and  each  drop,  on  drying, 
started  a  new  centre  of  conflagration.  As  the  fumes  of 
phosphorus  are  apt  to  put  out  their  own  flame,  a  little 
beeswax  or  petroleum  was  added  to  prevent  this.  The 
Ordnance  Department  reported  against  this  proposal,  and 
I  did  not  care  to  push  it  further  ;  but  ten  years  later  the 
plan  with  exactly  the  same  materials  was  adopted,  and  the 
inventor,  who  was  an  officer,  received  promotion,  and  I 
think  a  decoration.  The  Fenians  have  lately  used  this 
method  of  setting  property  on  fire,  and  tried  its  effects  on 
one  of  the  Cunard  ships. 

The  other  proposal  in  my  letter  was  to  have  a  hollow 
brittle   shell  containing  cyanide  of  cacodyl.     This   is   an 


160  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

intensely  poisonous  substance,  a  few  drops  of  which  in 
a  room  would  poison  the  occupants.  Such  a  shell  going 
between  decks  of  a  ship  would  render  the  atmosphere 
irrespirable,  and  poison  the  men  if  they  remained  at  the 
guns.  This  suggestion  was  considered  inadmissible  by 
the  military  authorities,  who  stated  that  it  would  be  as 
bad  a  mode  of  warfare  as  poisoning  the  wells  of  the 
enemy.  There  was  no  sense  in  this  objection.  It  is 
considered  a  legitimate  mode  of  warfare  to  fill  shells 
with  molten  metal  which  scatters  among  the  enemy,  and 
produces  the  most  frightful  modes  of  death.  Why  a 
poisonous  vapour  which  would  kill  men  without  suffering 
is  to  be  considered  illegitimate  warfare  is  incompre- 
hensible. War  is  destruction,  and  the  more  destructive 
it  can  be  made  with  the  least  suffering  the  sooner  will 
be  ended  that  barbarous  method  of  protecting  national 
rights.  No  doubt  in  time  chemistry  will  be  used  to  lessen 
the  suffering  of  combatants,  and  even  of  criminals  con- 
demned to  death.  Hanging  is  a  relic  of  barbarism, 
because  criminals  might  be  put  to  death  without  physical 
torture. 

Soon  after  I  had  written  the  letter  to  the  Prince  Consort, 
Lord  Dundonald,  better  known  as  Lord  Cochrane,  probably 
the  greatest  of  naval  heroes  except  Nelson,  offered  to 
Government  his  secret  plans  for  taking  fortresses  without 
the  usual  methods  of  siege.  Lord  Dundonald  felt  con- 
vinced that  he  could  take  Sebastopol  or  Cronstadt  in  a 
few  hours  by  his  destructive  agencies.  He  wrote  to  Lord 
Palmerston,  then  Prime  Minister,  offering  to  submit  his 
plans  to  any  two  persons  nominated  by  the  Government. 
The  Government  appointed  my  former  teacher,  Graham, 
then  Master  of  the  Mint,  and  myself,  to  receive  the  secret 
communications  from  Lord  Dundonald  and  to  report  on 
their  probable  efficacy.  At  that  time  Admiral  Sir  Charles 
Napier  expected  to  receive,  and  did  afterwards  receive,  the 
command  of  the  Baltic  Fleet,  while  Lord  Dundonald  fully 
hoped  to  obtain  command  of  the  Black  Sea  Fleet.  Napier 
knew  the  secret  plans,  so  the  two  old  naval  heroes  used  to 
come  to  my  office,  which  was  then  at  Marlborough  House, 


EDUCATIONAL   REFORM.  l6l 

now  the  residence  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  to  discuss  them 
I  still  possess  two  rude  sketches  drawn  by  each  of  these 
admirals,  one  by  Napier  as  to  how  he  proposed  to  attack 
Cronstadt,  and  the  other  by  Lord  Dundonald  as  to  how  he 
intended  to  attack  Sebastopol.  At  that  time  I  had  an 
acquaintance  with  Admiral  Napier,  but  a  still  better  one 
with  Lady  Napier.  They  spoke  of  each  other  with 
affection  but  did  not  live  together,  except  for  one  or  two 
weeks  in  the  year,  when  they  entertained  their  friends 
to  show  that  no  quarrel  existed  between  them. 

Lord  Dundonald  was  then  to  me  a  new  acquaintance, 
but  our  intercourse  speedily  ripened  into  a  friendship, 
although  he  knew  perfectly  well  that  I  reported  unfavour- 
ably as  to  the  chief  part  of  his  invention,  while  I  thought 
that  the  minor  part,  to  which  he  did  not  attach  much 
importance,  was  susceptible  of  extensive  application.  Lord 
Dundonald  was,  even  then  as  an  old  man,  a  person  who 
inspired  great  confidence  in  his  ability,  dash  and  daring. 
He  was  of  commanding  stature,  and  full  of  vigour.  It  was 
easy  to  understand  how  the  men  under  his  command 
had  unlimited  faith  in  his  resources  and  prowess.  He 
scarcely  ever  failed  in  a  naval  engagement,  although  when 
one  reads  his  biography  his  plans  appear  to  be  wild  and 
extravagant.  Whether  he  would  have  succeeded  with 
his  secret  methods,  had  he  received  command  of  the  Black 
Sea  Fleet,  it  is  impossible  to  say,  on  account  of  his  won- 
derful personal  influence  with  sailors.  But  the  Master  of 
the  Mint  and  I  did  not  feel  justified  in  recommending  the 
Government  to  adopt  them,  and  Lord  Palmerston  coincided 
with  our  views.  Lord  Dundonald,  in  spite  of  our  unfav- 
ourable report,  conceived  for  me  a  warm  friendship,  and 
continued  to  correspond  with  me  to  the  end  of  his  life.  In 
the  year  1886  I  gave  to  his  grandson,  the  present  Lord 
Dundonald,  all  the  papers  relating  to  his  grandfather's 
inventions,  so  that  they  are  not  likely  to  be  lost  to  the 
world  by  my  death,  if  my  estimate  of  their  value  was  not 
a  correct  one. 

In  the  year  1855  there  was  the  first  great  International 
Exhibition   in   Paris,   and    I   was    appointed   one    of  the 


1 62  MEMOIRS  OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

Commissioners,  Sir  Henry  Cole  being  the  executive 
English  officer.  A  new  feature  in  this  Exhibition  was  an 
international  collection  of  pictures.  The  building  allotted 
to  them  was  so  unsafe  that  Cole  would  not  accept  the 
responsibility  of  allowing  English  pictures  to  be  displayed. 
A  feeling  of  irritation  arose  between  the  French  and 
English  Governments  on  that  account,  and  threatened  to 
weaken  our  co-operation  in  the  Exhibition.  I  was  sent 
over  to  Paris  by  the  Government  to  act  as  peacemaker, 
and  after  interviews  with  Fould,  then  Minister  of  the 
Interior,  I  persuaded  him  to  erect  party  walls,  which  cut 
off  the  picture  galleries  from  the  rest  of  the  Exhibition. 
This  was  useful  to  me  a  few  months  later,  when  I  went 
to  Paris  to  look  after  the  Jury  work  of  the  Exhibition. 
I  already  knew  the  leading  scientific  men  of  France,  Milne 
Edwards,  Dumas,  Chevreul,  Beron,  Thenard,  Regnault, 
Balard,  Pelouze,  Pehoot  and  others,  and  frequently  enjoyed 
their  hospitality.  But  I  was  not  acquainted  with  the  poli- 
ticians or  public  men.  The  fact  that  the  English  Govern- 
ment entrusted  me  with  the  duty  of  overcoming  a  practical 
difficulty  formed  an  introduction  to  the  leading  French 
Commissioners,  and  led  to  my  becoming  acquainted  with 
French  society  in  another  aspect.  In  1851  I  had  been 
introduced  to  Napoleon  III.  as  President  at  St.  Cloud,  and 
now  attended,  at  his  command,  a  Sunday  reception,  in 
addition  to  the  festivities  which  the  Emperor  gave  to  the 
foreign  Commissioners.  At  that  time  the  sanitary  condition 
of  Paris  was  under  discussion,  the  sewerage  being  in  a  bad 
condition.  The  Emperor  wished  the  advice  of  English 
sanitarians,  and  from  my  work  on  the  Health  of  Towns 
Commission,  thought  my  opinion  might  be  of  use.  He 
also  sent  for  our  veteran  sanitary  reformer,  Edwin 
Chadwick,  who  prepared  a  short  speech  for  the  occasion. 
It  was  epigrammatic  in  its  brevity  :  "  Sire,"  said  Chadwick, 
"  Caesar  found  Rome  built  with  brick  and  left  it  built  of 
marble  :  it  will  be  a  great  thing  for  you,  sire,  if  posterity 
can  say  that  you  found  Paris  stinking  and  left  it 
sweet  !  "  The  Emperor,  who  spoke  English  perfectly,  was 
much  amused. 


EDUCATIONAL   REFORM.  1 63 

Among  my  intimate  friends  in  Paris  I  should  not  forget 
Aries  Dufour,  the  Cobden  of  France.  Our  acquaintance 
began  in  a  singular  way.  Aries  Dufour  was  stranded 
at  an  inn  in  the  Trossachs  during  a  Highland  tour,  with 
his  son,  on  account  of  some  miscarriage  of  his  remittances. 
I  was  breakfasting  at  an  adjoining  table,  and  he  told  me 
of  his  difficulty.  He  looked  eminently  respectable,  so  I 
offered  him  £20,  and  gave  the  name  of  my  banker  in 
London.  On  my  return  there  I  found  the  loan  duly 
paid,  and  a  letter  asking  me  to  visit  him  in  Paris.  This 
I  did,  and  he  gave  me  an  interesting  dinner  at  which  Pere 
L'Enfantin  and  other  Socialists  of  the  Fourier  school  were 
present.  The  venerable  L'Enfantin  used  afterwards  to 
write  to  me  on  subjects  of  public  interest,  especially  about 
the  Suez  Canal.  Aries  Dufour  himself  was  a  man  full  of 
enthusiasm  for  public  reforms,  and  had  great  influence  on 
the  educational  progress  of  his  time. 

My  old  master,  Professor  Graham,  continued  to  teach  at 
University  College,  and  I  naturally  saw  a  good  deal  of 
him.  In  1855  the  Mastership  of  the  Mint  became  vacant. 
The  office  had  been  once  filled  by  Newton,  and  was 
attractive  to  men  of  science.  Graham  asked  whether  I 
wished  the  office,  in  which  case  he  would  not  compete 
with  me,  but  if  I  did  not  he  would  become  a  candidate. 
I  did  not  tell  him  that  I  ardently  desired  and  intended  to 
apply  for  it,  but  I  felt  that  his  scientific  claims  were  much 
superior  to  mine,  so  I  offered  to  use  all  my  influer.ce  in  his 
favour,  and  he  was  appointed  Master  of  the  Mint.  It  is, 
however,  doubtful  whether  it  was  a  happy  office  for  a  man 
of  Graham's  temperament.  He  was  frequently  exposed 
to  public  criticism,  and  felt  it  keenly.  In  my  first  year 
of  Parliamentary  life,  in  1S69,  his  administration  of  the 
Mint  was  attacked  in  the  House  of  Lords,  and  I  was 
able  to  defend  it  in  the  House  of  Commons. 

My  defence  so  pleased  the  Master  of  the  Mint  that  he 
struck  a  special  medal  of  an  alloy  of  palladium  and 
hydrogen,  containing  900  volumes  of  that  gas,  to  com- 
memorate my  aid.  Graham  died  in  the  autumn  of  this 
year,  leaving   an    unsigned    will,  in  which  I  was    named 


164  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

as  his  executor.  My  old  ambition  to  become  Master  ol 
the  Mint  revived,  and  both  Mr  Gladstone,  the  Prime 
Minister,  and  Mr  Lowe  (afterwards  Lord  Sherbrooke), 
the  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  encouraged  me  to  apply 
for  the  vacant  office.  But  just  at  that  time  Lord  Justice 
Clerk  Patton  died,  and  Mr  Moncrieff,  who  represented 
Glasgow  University,  succeeded  to  his  seat  on  the  Bench. 
Had  I  also  taken  office,  both  Scotch  University  seats  would 
have  become  vacant,  and  would  have  passed  over  to  the 
Tories.  This  would  have  been  too  severe  a  blow  to  the 
Liberal  party,  so  I  withdrew  my  candidature  for  the 
Mastership  of  the  Mint. 

In  1857  I  married  Miss  Jean  Ann  Millington,1  a  lady  of 
some  fortune,  by  whom  I  had  a  daughter,  Ethel  Mary 
Lyon,  now  married  to  Major  Bloomfield.  By  this  marriage 
I  was  no  longer  wholly  dependent  on  the  income  derived 
from  work,  so  I  desired  to  obtain  time  for  scientific  re- 
search, and  made  an  arrangement  with  the  Government 
to  give  only  half  my  time  as  an  Inspector  of  Schools  of 
Science.  It  was  fortunate  that  this  arrangement  was  made, 
for  in  1858  the  Chair  of  Chemistry  in  the  University  of 
Edinburgh  became  vacant  by  the  death  of  Professor 
Gregory,  and  I  was  appointed  to  that  much  coveted 
professorship. 

With  regard  to  the  suggestion  of  an  Order  of  Merit, 
of  the  collapse  of  which  Playfair  gives  so  amusing  an 
account  in  the  preceding  chapter  of  his  Reminiscences, 
the  following  letter  is  of  interest : — 

Colonel  Grey  to  Playfair.    Buckingham  Palace,  March  8th,  1856. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  have  read  your  letter  to  the 
Prince,  as  you  desired.  His  Royal  Highness  was  called 
away  directly  afterwards,  and  I  am  not  in  a  position  to 
say  what  his  opinion  may  be.  For  myself,  I  have  a 
feeling  (I  can  call  it  no  more,  not  having  given  my 
consideration   to   the   subject)  against  the  extension  and 

1  Play  fair's  first  wife  had  died  in  1855. 


EDUCATIONAL   REFORM.  1 65 

multiplication  of  British  orders.  Nor  can  I  quite  see  as 
strongly  as  you  do  the  danger  of  fostering  a  democratic 
feeling,  if  men  of  science  and  industry  are  to  continue  to 
look,  as  they  have  hitherto  done,  to  societies,  medals, 
and  the  letters  which  speak  the  members  of  such  societies, 
for  the  public  evidence  of  their  position  in  the  scientific 
and  industrial  world,  instead  of  to  honours  received  at  the 
hands  of  the  Queen.  I  could  wish  that  they  had  not  gone 
so  far  in  my  own  profession,  where  such  distinctions  are 
become  almost  worthless  ;  and  the  difficulty  of  discrimi- 
nating between  conflicting  claims  has  there  been  found  so 
insuperable  that  officers  commanding  troops  in  any  action 
for  which  a  distribution  of  such  honours  is  thought  right, 
are  actually  forced,  as  the  only  way  of  solving  the  difficulty, 
to  name  every  man  holding  a  particular  rank  in  such  affairs. 
The  Duke  of  Wellington,  well  knowing  this  difficulty,  and 
the  impossibility  of  giving  satisfaction,  always  wisely  set 
his  face  against  the  system  of  medals  and  decorations  ;  and 
I  believe  he  was  right.  But  I  need  not  argue  the  question 
with  you.  This  matter  will  not  depend  upon  any  opinions 
of  mine,  and  I  have  already  this  afternoon  more  writing  to 
do  than  I  can  well  get  through  before  dinner-time. 

Ever  yours  truly, 

C.  Grey. 

Playfair  in  1855  sent  Professor  Faraday  a  box  of  the 
new  matches  which  were  just  being  introduced  i  replace 
the  evil-smelling  sulphur  match  that  had  hithe  o  been 
in  use.  In  view  of  subsequent  experiences  in  English 
match-making  the  answer  of  the  great  scientist  is 
interesting. 

Royal  Institution, 

Professor  Faraday  to  Playfair.  October  30th,  1855. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  was  very  sorry  to  miss  you 
this  morning,  but  inexorable  time  stole  you  away,  and  I 
know  so  well  the  value  of  it  to  an  occupied  man  that  I 
cannot  but  allow  to  others  the  power  I  am  often  obliged 


1 66  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

to  reserve  to  myself.  Many  thanks  for  the  box,  which  is 
very  curious,  and  apparently  good.  I  have  seen  them 
before.  Do  you  think  they  will  come  into  use  ?  I  was 
much  struck  by  an  observation  Liebig  made  to  me  the 
other  day  when  he  was  here,  and  we  were  talking  over 
just  such  a  box.  "  But  your  match-makers  have  not 
the  phosphorus  disease  in  the  jaw,"  said  he;  "it  only 
occurs  in  Germany."  And  when  I  asked  him  the  reason 
for  that,  he  seemed  to  give  it  in  the  bad  ventilation 
and  closeness  of  the  German  shops,  combined  with  the 
presence  of  phosphorus  vapour. 

Ever  your  obliged 

M.  Faraday. 

Merchiston, 

Admiral  Sir  Charles  Napier  to  Play/air.      April  12th,  1855. 

My  dear  Sir, — Many  thanks  for  your  note.  I  shall 
be  in  town  on  Saturday  and  Monday,  and  I  hope  soon  to 
have  the  calculation.  I  suppose  the  iron  vessels  will  be 
launched  next  week,  or  one  of  them  at  least.  They  appear 
to  me  to  have  committed  a  great  error  with  the  mortar 
vessels.  They  have  not  engines  in  them,  which  I  look 
upon  as  of  great  importance.  Should  they  be  placed  at  a 
proper  distance  from  a  battery  and  had  engines,  when  the 
enemy  got  their  range  all  they  would  have  to  do  would  be 
to  go  ahead  or  astern  a  little,  and  that  they  could  do 
without  it  being  observed,  and  the  enemy  be  thrown  out. 
And  although  firing  their  mortar,  they  could  keep  moving 
a  little  to  the  right  or  left,  the  chances  are  they  would 
never  be  hit ;  but  without  an  engine  we  must  employ  a 
steamer  to  move  them,  which  would  be  observed  by  the 
enemy,  and  that  would  be  two  chances  of  damaging  us. 
We  are  fated  to  do  everything  that  is  wrong. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Charles  Napier. 

This  letter  bears  upon  a  side  of  Play  fair's  indefatigable 
industry  to  which   he   has  made   reference   in   his   auto- 


EDUCATIONAL  REFORM.  1 67 

biography.  His  attempts  to  induce  the  military  authorities 
to  employ  new  agencies  in  war  were  not  successful.  He 
himself  regarded  his  failure  with  some  impatience,  and 
attributed  it  to  the  stupidity  of  the  authorities.  Thus  he 
endorsed  in  his  own  hand  the  formal  reports  of  a  certain 
department  upon  experiments  made,  in  accordance  with 
his  suggestions,  with  materials  for  setting  fire  to  the  sails 
of  an  enemy's  fleet  :  "  Absurd  report.  To  make  experi- 
ments in  absence  of  the  inventor  is  foolish.  The  objections 
here  made  could  easily  have  been  removed."  Throughout 
his  life  he  hated  red  tape,  and  though  so  much  engrossed 
in  official  work,  was  the  implacable  enemy  of  the  official 
temperament.  When  he  saw  that  a  thing  needed  to  be 
done  he  set  about  doing  it,  perhaps  without  too  much 
regard  to  the  strict  rules  of  official  procedure.  In  a  similar 
spirit,  although  a  man  of  exceptional  kindness  and  tender- 
ness, he  put  aside  as  ridiculous  the  humanitarian  objections 
to  the  use  of  warlike  appliances  of  excessive  efficiency. 
Was  not  the  object  of  war  to  destroy  an  enemy  as  quickly 
as  possible,  and  the  more  speedily  and  painlessly  that 
could  be  done,  the  better  ?  Play  fair's  intensely  practical 
spirit,  it  will  be  seen,  displayed  itself  on  many  different 
fields  of  action. 

Baron  von  Liebig  to  Play/air.  Munich,  September  17th,  1S56. 

My  dear  Playfair, — Dr  Daubeny,  who  was  good 
enough  to  visit  me  on  his  journey  to  Vienna,  informed  me 
that  you  had  given  your  intended  lecture  on  Agriculture  in 
July,  and  that  it  was  very  interesting.  This  leads  me  to 
beg  of  you  kindly  to  send  me  a  copy  of  it,  as  it  may 
perhaps  be  useful  to  me  in  the  new  edition  of  my  '  Agri- 
cultural Chemistry  '  which  I  am  now  preparing. 

Meanwhile,  my  answer  to  Lawes  and  Gilbert  has  ap- 
peared in  the  '  Journal  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society,' 
Xo.  xxxvil.  You  may  perhaps  have  read  it.  If  so,  I 
should  like  to  hear  your   opinion  on  it.     I  have  firmly 


1 68  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

resolved  to  carry  this  fight  through  to  the  end,  and  shall 
not  lay  down  my  pen  until  the  laws  of  Nature,  which 
we  are  defending,  have  carried  the  day.  At  present  my 
fixed  idea  is  to  devote  myself  entirely  to  practical  agri- 
culture, and  to  found  a  school  for  teachers  of  agriculture, 
as  thirty  years  ago  I  did  for  practical  chemistry.  I  con- 
sider that  such  a  school  is  the  greatest  necessity  of  our 
time,  and  that  there  is  nobody  who  could  carry  out  such 
an  enterprise  so  well  as  I.  I  have  no  doubts  about  its 
success.  On  the  other  hand,  it  seems  very  foolish  to 
give  up  a  position  such  as  no  other  man  of  science  in 
Europe  holds.  I  have  so  far  cherished  no  wish  which 
the  King  has  not  granted,  but  I  am  weary  of  playing  the 
schoolmaster  and  giving  lectures  which  others  could  give 
as  well  as  I.  All  my  thoughts  are  devoted  to  the  spread 
and  profitable  application  of  scientific  principles  in  agri- 
culture. I  regret  that  my  friends  three  years  ago  were 
too  hasty  in  giving  me  a  testimonial  recognising  my 
services.  If  this  matter  were  now  brought  before  Par- 
liament by  the  Duke  of  Argyll,  it  is  not  quite  impossible 
that  Parliament  would  grant  me  a  pension  of  ^"300  to 
^"400,  which  would  suffice  to  enable  me  to  resign  my 
professorship,  and  to  live  three  or  four  months  in  the  year 
in  England  or  Scotland,  and  devote  myself  entirely  to 
agriculture.  With  the  great  resources  which  the  Royal 
Agricultural  Society  possesses,  very  much  might  have 
been  done,  but  they  do  not  know  how  best  to  employ 
their  money,  and  much  is  wasted  with  no  results.  Some 
Americans  have  proposed  that  I  should  go  to  America, 
assuring  me  that  the  United  States  would  certainly  pro- 
vide me  with  all  the  land  and  money  I  required.  But 
first  I  should  like  to  take  a  trip  there  and  see  more  of 
the  prevailing  conditions. 

It  would  give  me  great  pleasure  if  you  would  pay  us 
a  visit  in  Munich.  I  was  four  weeks  at  the  baths  of  Gastein, 
in  Salzburg,  and  am  staying  here  during  the  holidays. 

Farewell,  dear  Playfair ;  let  me  hear  something  of 
you  soon.  Most  sincerely  yours, 

J.  v.  Liebig. 


EDUCATIONAL   REFORM.  1 69 

Same  to  the  same.  Munich,  March  30th,  1857. 

My  dear  Friend, — I  have  just  received  the  report 
of  the  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  Royal  Institution, 
Part  VI. ,  and  find  in  it  your  lecture  on  the  principles 
involved  in  agricultural  experiments,  which  I  have  read 
with  great  pleasure.  You  have  set  forth  in  it  in  a  clear 
and  lucid  manner  the  principal  object  of  such  experiments, 
and  estimated  those  of  Lawes  at  their  real  worth  ;  your 
examples  and  illustrations  are  so  simple  and  so  easily 
grasped  that  every  farmer  must  understand  them.  Faraday 
had  already  written  to  me  about  your  lecture,  which  he 
thought  must  put  an  end  to  the  long  controversy  which 
is  still  going  on  in  Germany.  I  am  at  this  moment 
engaged  in  writing  a  fresh  pamphlet  against  Stockhardt 
and  Co.  The  so-called  nitrogen  theory  leads  to  such 
absurdities  that  all  reasonable  people  must  unite  in 
opposing  it.  Stockhardt  maintains,  for  instance,  that 
100  lb.  nitrate  of  soda  are  equivalent  to  2,800  lb.  of  stable 
dung,  because  they  contain  the  same  quantity  of  nitrogen  !  ! 

Walter  Crum  wrote  to  me  about  a  project  which  he 
had  discussed  with  Young,  and  which  has  also  been  laid 
before  you.  They  wish  to  make  up  a  sum  of  money  by 
subscription  to  enable  me  to  carry  out  in  England  my 
ideas  on  agriculture.  I  have,  therefore,  written  to  Crum 
and  asked  him  to  let  this  matter  entirely  drop  ;  it  looks  as 
though  my  only  object  was  to  make  money,  whereas 
really  I  never  thought  of  it.  In  the  heat  of  the  con- 
troversy with  Lawes,  I  eagerly  seized  the  idea  of  founding 
an  agricultural  school,  in  order  to  have  an  opportunity  of 
putting  my  principles  into  practice.  But  now  I  see  that 
progress  cannot  be  forced,  but  must  develop  gradually 
like  a  plant.  I  can  do  a  greater  and  more  widespread 
work  through  teaching  than  through  example,  and 
by  endeavouring  that  those  experiments  which  I  deem 
most  important  should  be  carried  out  in  many  places 
simultaneously.  This  opportunity  is  now  within  my 
grasp  ;  German  agricultural  associations  and  chemical  labo- 
ratories are  numerous,  and  are  inclined  to  carry  out  any 


170  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

suggestions  of  mine.  Thus  I  have  the  means  practically 
in  my  own  hands,  and  it  is,  therefore,  unnecessary  to  give 
up  my  present  position.  It  would  have  been  a  foolish 
thing  to  do,  as  it  brings  me  in  .£500  to  £5 50  a  year, 
which,  added  to  my  other  resources,  makes  my  income 
about  .£1,100,  which  enables  one  to  live  very  comfort- 
ably in  Germany.  I  could  never  have  consented  to 
accept  a  sum  raised  by  subscription  by  private  indi- 
viduals. Such  an  arrangement  would  probably  carry 
with  it  obligations  and  expectations  which  could  not  be 
fulfilled.  It  is  well  meant  by  Crum  and  Young,  but  not 
practicable. 

Always,  my  dear  friend, 

Sincerely  yours, 

J.  V.  LlEBIG. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

LIFE     IN     EDINBURGH. 

Playfair  "the  Man  Behind  the  Scenes" — Scientific  Honours— Place  in 
Society — His  Passion  for  Scientific  Research — Appointed  Professor  of 
Chemistry  in  Edinburgh  University — Resigning  his  Post  as  Gentleman 
Usher  Autobiography  :  Chemical  Theories  and  Their  Exponents  in 
Edinburgh  University :  Sir  Robert  Christison :  Sir  James  Simpson 
and  Experiments  in  Anaesthesia ;  Reforming  the  University  :  Declining 
the  Office  of  Principal :  Giving  the  Prince  of  Wales  Lessons  :  Royal 
Students  at  the  University  :  Death  of  the  Prince  Consort :  President  of 
the  Royal  Commission  on  the  Herring  Fishery  :  Appointing  the  Jurors 
for  the  International  Exhibition  of  1862  :  Lord  Stratford  de  Redcliffe : 
Honours  from  Foreign  Princes :  A  Member  of  the  Royal  Commission 
on  the  Cattle  Plague  :  Anecdote  of  the  Princess  Alice  :  A  Visit  to 
Coburg  :  Dr  John  Brown  :  The  Marquis  of  Tweeddale :  Lady  Ruthven  : 
Leaving  Edinburgh.  Playfair's  Professorial  Zeal — His  Work  for  the 
Exhibition  of  1862 — The  Prince  of  Wales  and  the  Cauldron  of  Boiling 
Lead — Playfair  and  the  Edinburgh  Memorial  of  the  Prince  Consort — 
His  Unpopularity  in  Connection  with  the  Cattle  Plague  Report. 

In  the  year  1858  Playfair  entered  his  fortieth  year. 
Nearly  half  his  life  had  been  spent  in  England,  first  in 
Lancashire,  and  subsequently  in  London.  He  had  com- 
pressed into  that  comparatively  short  period  an  amount  of 
work  which  it  is  given  to  few  men  to  accomplish  in  a 
lifetime.  He  had  advanced  from  obscurity  into  public 
fame.  He  had  become  the  personal  friend  and  trusted 
adviser  of  many  of  the  greatest  in  the  land,  beginning  with 
the  Prince  Consort.  Above  all,  he  had  been  the  powerful 
instrument  by  means  of  which  a  great  revolution  in  our 
educational  system  had  been  accomplished.  The  public, 
it  is  true,  did  not  then  understand  how  large  a  part  he 
had  played  in  the  formation  of  the  Science  and  Art 
Department,  and  in  the  establishment  of  the  new  system 


172  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

of  technical  education.  Still  less  did  it  know  of  his  early 
labours  in  the  field  of  national  sanitation,  or  the  share, 
significant  though  limited,  which  he  had  in  influencing 
Sir  Robert  Peel  in  his  resolve  to  break  down  the  import 
duties  upon  food.  Nobody  save  those  who  had  been  the 
associates  of  Playfair  in  his  labours  really  knew  what 
the  extent  and  importance  of  those  labours  had  been. 
To  the  world  at  large  he  was  then,  what  he  remained 
largely  to  the  end,  the  man  behind  the  scenes. 

But  certain  visible  signs  of  his  success  had  been  ac- 
corded to  him.  He  held  an  office  in  the  Household 
of  the  Prince  Consort,  and  a  post  of  importance  in 
the  public  service.  He  had  received  the  Companionship 
of  the  Bath,  and  had  been  offered  many  foreign  orders  ; 
he  had  been  President  of  the  Chemical  Society,  of  which 
he  was  one  of  the  founders ;  was  a  fellow  of  the  Royal 
Society,  and  had  secured  most  of  the  honours  which  are 
recognised  in  this  country  as  the  rewards  of  scientific 
eminence.  Above  all,  he  had  gained  a  special  place  of 
his  own  in  the  cosmopolitan  society  of  London.  Everybody 
who  knew  him  at  all,  knew  that  a  dinner-table  was  made 
the  brighter  by  the  presence  of  a  man  who  wore  so  vast 
a  load  of  learning  "  lightly  as  a  flower,"  who  not  only 
possessed  immense  stores  of  knowledge,  but  had  the  art 
of  imparting  that  knowledge  in  the  easiest  and  pleasantest 
fashion  to  others,  and  who  had,  beyond  most  men,  the 
gift  of  winning  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  all  who 
were  brought  in  contact  with  him.  It  seemed  to  his 
friends  that  his  place  in  life  was  now  definitely  fixed,  and 
that  he  would  remain  upon  the  great  stage  of  London, 
an  eminent  public  servant,  whose  talents  and  energies 
would  continue  to  be  devoted  to  that  branch  of  national 
work  which  lies  outside  the  range  of  party  politics.  The 
Science  and  Art  Department,  and  the  development  of  the 
practical   work   of   scientific  teaching   of  which   he   was 


LIFE   IN   EDINBURGH.  1 73 

to   so   large   an    extent  the    founder,    seemed    likely    to 
absorb  his  energies  for  the  remainder  of  his  days. 

But  Lyon  Playfair's  original  passion  for  scientific  re- 
search had  never  left  him.  He  looked  back  with  yearning 
to  the  days  when  he  had  been  a  student  in  the  laboratory 
at  Edinburgh,  and  had  made  those  original  investigations 
which  first  secured  for  him  the  good  will  of  the  great 
Liebig.  He  looked  forward  from  the  busy  days  which  he 
had  to  spend  in  the  company  of  princes,  great  noblemen, 
and  Ministers  of  State,  to  the  time  when  he  could  return 
to  his  first  love,  and,  withdrawing  from  the  glare  and  bustle 
of  public  life,  find  the  task  that  best  suited  him  in  the 
tranquil  labours  of  a  professorship.  It  is  necessary  to 
touch  upon  this  point,  because  men  of  science  are  tra- 
ditionally censorious  in  their  treatment  of  those  of  their 
number  who  abandon  the  pursuit  of  science  in  the  abstract 
for  the  practical  work  of  life,  even  when  that  work  is 
more  or  less  directly  connected  with  progress  in  scientific 
knowledge.  Play  fair  did  not  during  the  course  of  his 
long  and  busy  life  escape  the  criticisms  of  some  of  his 
more  censorious  fellow-scientists.  Up  to  the  end  of 
his  days  there  were  those  who  were  inclined  to  look 
upon  him  in  the  light  of  "  a  good  man  who  had  gone 
wrong."  Ignoring  the  immense  services  which  he  had 
rendered  to  his  fellow-countrymen  and  to  the  State,  they 
deplored  the  fact  that  he  had  ever  been  induced  to 
abandon  his  original  work  as  a  student  of  chemistry, 
and  professed  to  believe  that  nothing  he  had  done  in  the 
way  of  public  service  could  compare  with  what  he  might 
have  accomplished  if  he,  the  friend  and  pupil  of  Liebig, 
had  devoted  his  life  to  original  research.  It  is  only  fair 
that  it  should  be  known  that  when  Playfair  was  drawn 
out  into  public  work  it  was  by  a  force  which  seemed  at 
the  time  to  be  irresistible.  When  a  public  duty  was  to 
be  done,  and  he  knew  that  he  was  the  man  who  could 


174  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

do  it,  nothing — not  even  his  intense  love  of  learning  and 
research — could  prevent  his  undertaking  the  task.  But 
when  it  was  accomplished,  and  there  was  an  opening  for 
his  return  to  his  first  love,  he  availed  himself  of  it  with 
an  eagerness  that  was  almost  touching. 

Thus  it  came  to  pass  that  in  the  year  1858  he  went 
back  to  the  Scotland  which  he  had  left  as  a  boy,  in  order 
to  take  up  the  dignified  and  important  post  of  Professor 
of  Chemistry  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh.  His  bio- 
grapher must  leave  Playfair  himself  to  describe  the  con- 
ditions of  his  life  in  his  new  post  at  Edinburgh,  and  his 
surroundings  at  the  University.  It  was  unquestionably 
a  great  trial  to  him  to  leave  London,  with  all  the  intimate 
friendships  he  had  formed  there,  and  to  sever  the  links 
which  bound  him  to  great  and  beneficent  public  enter- 
prises. Let  those  rigid  scientists  who  seemed  sometimes 
inclined  to  regard  him  as  one  who  had  been  false  to  the 
higher  ideals  of  scientific  work,  give  him  credit  for  the 
resolute  courage  with  which  he  made  this  sacrifice  when 
it  became  possible  to  do  so. 

His  eminence,  both  as  a  chemist  and  as  a  public  servant, 
ensured  his  success  in  his  candidature  for  the  Edinburgh 
chair.  Testimonials  of  the  ordinary  kind  were  hardly 
needed  by  him,  but  with  the  thoroughness  which 
characterised  him  in  every  work  he  undertook,  he  made 
it  his  business  to  secure  them. 

34,  Cleveland  Square, 
Playfair  to  Professor  Frankland.  May  22nd,  1858. 

My  dear  Frankland, — Very  much  against  my  own 
wish,  I  am  forced  into  having  some  testimonials  as  a 
reserve  in  case  of  necessity,  and  as  a  reply  to  the  assertion 
that  I  am  unable  to  procure  any.  Every  chemist  seems 
to  have  given  to  every  candidate  testimonials,  and  if  they 
have  any  chemical  virtue  in  them,  they  should  have  only 
neutral   effects.      If    you    can,   could    you    embody    the 


LIFE   IN  EDINBURGH.  1 75 

following  points  in  a  letter  to  me  ?  You  will  see  they 
relate  to  the  specific  points  of  my  continued  attention 
to  chemistry,  and  will  therefore  steer  clear  of  general 
testimonialisation. 

(i)  As  to  my  general  scientific  position  in  London. 

(2)  As  to  the  fact  that  I  continue  laboratory  practice, 
and  have  not  abandoned  chemistry. 

(3)  That  as  President  of  the  Chemical  Society  I  have 
shown  that  I  study  chemistry. 

(4)  That  I  have  some  powers  as  a  lecturer. 

I  am  sorry  to  bother  you,  but  my  friends  in  Edinburgh 
insist  upon  my  being  provided  with  testimonial  letters, 
to  be  used  only  in  case  of  necessity. 

St.  Bartholomew's  Hospital, 

Professor  Frank  land  to  Play  fair.  May  25th,  1858. 

My  dear  Dr  Playfair, — It  is  with  no  inconsiderable 
pleasure  that  I  hear  of  your  intention  to  become  a  candi- 
date for  the  vacant  chair  of  chemistry  in  Edinburgh.  The 
deep  interest  which  you  have  continued  to  take  in  the 
progress  of  chemical  science,  and  the  fact  that  you  did 
not  abandon  even  laboratory  pursuits  during  a  period  when 
the  onerous  duties  of  your  appointment  in  connection  with 
the  Board  of  Education  must  have  severely  taxed  your 
time,  caused  me  to  feel  little  surprise  at  your  seeking  so 
eligible  an  opportunity  of  again  devoting  yourself  ex- 
clusively to  the  pursuits  of  our  science.  Your  high 
scientific  position  in  London,  and  the  admirable  way  in 
which  you  have  filled  the  office  of  President  of  the 
Chemical  Society,  are  sufficient  guarantee  that  your 
official  duties  have  not  been  allowed  unduly  to  interfere 
with  your  chemical  studies.  In  the  teaching  of  science, 
like  that  of  chemistry,  the  power  of  placing  the  chief  facts 
and  generalisations  before  students  in  a  striking  and  lucid 
manner  cannot  be  over-rated  ;  and  as  I  know  from  ample 
personal  observation  that  you  possess  this  power  in  a  very 
rare  degree,  and  as  at  the  same  time  you  have  always  won 
the  regard  and  esteem  of  your  pupils,  I  have  the  greatest 
confidence  that  the  mantle  of  your  renowned  predecessor 


176  MEMOIRS    OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

in  the  Edinburgh  chair  would  worthily  rest  upon  your 
shoulders  should  you  succeed  in  obtaining  the  appoint- 
ment. 

Trusting  that  chemistry  will  thus  soon  again  have  the 
advantage  of  your  undivided  attention, 

Believe  me,  etc., 

E.  Frankl/ynd. 

Royal  Institution, 
Professor  Faraday  to  Play  fair.  May  25th,  1858. 

My  dear  Playfair, — That  such  a  question  should 
arise  !  I  cannot  give — i.e.  volunteer — a  certificate  for 
circulation  ;  it  is  against  my  rule  ;  but  if  any  one  asks  me 
whether  you  are  able  to  expound  the  truths  of  experi- 
mental science  to  a  large  number  of  persons  in  a  clear, 
logical,  audible,  and,  to  me,  satisfactory  manner,  I  should 
have  no  need  to  consider,  but  must  from  my  own  ex- 
perience say  "  Yes "  at  once.  Anyone  concerned  in  the 
matter  may  write  to  me,  or  you  may  show  them  this  note, 
which  contains  what  would  be  my  answer. 

Ever  truly  yours, 

M.  Faraday. 

On  June  29th,  1858,  Baillie  Blackadder,  the  acting  chief 
magistrate  of  Edinburgh,  officially  notified  Playfair  of  the 
fact  that  he  had  on  the  previous  day  been  appointed 
Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  University,  "  in  room  of  the 
late  Dr  Gregory."  So,  after  nearly  twenty  years  of 
absence,  he  returned  to  the  capital  of  his  native  land  to 
occupy  a  position  of  exceptional  dignity  and  influence. 
The  first  step  which  his  appointment  imposed  upon  him 
was  the  resignation  of  his  office  as  a  member  of  the  Prince 
Consort's  Household.  Writing  to  General  Grey,  imme- 
diately after  the  appointment  had  been  made,  Playfair, 
after  asking  him  to  announce  the  fact  to  the  Prince 
Consort,  said  : 


LIFE   IN   EDINBURGH.  177 

"  I  found  my  scientific  knowledge  rapidly  slipping  away 
from  me  owing  to  my  public  duties,  and  I  could  not  resist 
taking  the  only  chair  which  was  worth  having  in  order  to 
enable  me  to  devote  myself  more  exclusively  to  science. 
My  lectures  occupy  from  November  to  the  end  of  April. 
I  still  intend  to  spend  May,  June,  and  July  in  London.  I 
believe  that  I  could  perform  the  duties  of  the  office  which 
I  have  the  honour  to  hold  in  the  Household  of  the  Prince 
Consort,  by  an  occasional  interchange  of  duties  with  my 
colleague,  such  as  we  have  been  hitherto  accustomed  to 
make  for  each  other.  But  although  I  am  very  unwilling 
to  break  a  connection  which  has  given  me  so  much 
pleasure,  and  to  dissever  myself  from  service  with  a 
Prince  who  has  given  me  so  many  reasons  to  be  attached 
to  his  person,  at  the  same  time,  as  there  might  be  some 
irregularities  in  that  service,  I  think  it  right  to  place  my 
resignation  in  your  hands,  and  to  beg  you  to  convey  to  His 
Royal  Highness  the  profound  sense  of  gratitude  and 
affection  which  I  feel  for  the  many  kindnesses  which  he 
has  bestowed  upon  me." 

Sir  Charles  Phipps  to  Play  fair.  Osborne,  July  Qth,  1858. 

My  dear  Playfair, — Grey  is  away,  and  I  have 
opened  your  letter  of  the  7th,  and  stated  its  purport  to  the 
Prince.  His  Royal  Highness  commands  me  to  say,  in 
reply,  that  he  should  be  very  sony  to  lose  you  from  his 
Household,  and  that  he  thinks,  by  arrangement  with 
Admiral  Blake,  your  duty  might  be  easily  provided  for. 
For  instance,  if  he  were  to  take  March  and  April,  and  you 
May  and  June,  all  the  occasions  upon  which  the  attend- 
ance of  a  Gentleman  Usher  is  required  might  be  provided  for. 

It  would  only  be  in  the  event  of  its  proving  impossible 
that  your  two  duties  could  be  made  compatible  that  His 
Royal  Highness  would  accept  your  resignation. 

The  Prince  commands  me  to  forward  to  you  his  hearty 
congratulations  upon  your  appointment  to  a  post  for 
which  you  are  so  eminently  fitted. 

Sincerely  yours, 

C.  B.  Phipps. 

M 


178  MEMOIRS    OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

A  few  months  later  Playfair  found  that,  in  spite  of  the 
kind  consideration  of  the  Prince,  he  could  not  discharge 
even  the  modified  programme  of  his  duties  as  Gentleman 
Usher,  and  in  January,  1859,  he  finally  resigned  his  post. 
The  Prince,  in  accepting  it,  expressed  the  very  sincere 
regret  with  which  he  lost  him  from  his  Household. 

Even  in  his  own  country  a  prophet  may  not  be  without 
honour.  Playfair  was  still  remembered  by  his  old  friends 
in  St.  Andrews  and  other  Scots  towns,  chiefly  as  the  boy 
who  had  shown  so  great  a  fondness  for  study  and  so  keen 
a  knowledge  of  how  to  get  through  his  work  in  the 
shortest  possible  space  of  time.  Now  he  had  come  back 
to  them  in  a  position  which  in  Scotland  has  always  been 
regarded  as  one  of  peculiar  honour.  One  of  his  old 
acquaintances  wrote  as  follows  to  his  mother  upon  the 
occasion  of  his  appointment : — 

Manse  of  Moffat,  July  $th,  1858. 

My  dear  Friend, — I  learned  from  Mr  Lindsay,  who 
kindly  came  up  to  me  in  church  yesterday,  that  you  are  in 
St.  Andrews,  and  so  I  write  to-day,  though  really  I  have 
nothing  to  say  but  only  to  inquire  after  your  welfare,  and 
to  express  my  hope  that  you  are  pleased  with  Dr  Lyon's 
appointment  to  Edinburgh.  No  doubt  his  life  in  Edin- 
burgh will  not  be  so  splendid  as  his  life  in  London.  But  I 
should  suppose  that  the  pleasures  of  Court  favour  are  not 
without  much  trouble  and  loss  of  time,  which  a  studiously- 
disposed  man  must  grudge,  and  besides,  he  has  had  that 
sort  of  pleasure.  The  future  could  be  little  more  than  a 
repetition  of  the  past,  which  is  always  more  or  less  weari- 
some. In  Edinburgh  he  will  take  his  place  at  the  top  of 
society,  and  will  be  able  to  command  much  of  his  own 
time.  He  will  also  be  the  head  of  chemical  philosophy, 
for  the  Edinburgh  chair  is  looked  upon  in  Europe  as  higher 
than  any  other,  and  he  will  have  the  pleasure  of  finding 
himself  surrounded  by  a  school  of  young  chemists  who  will 
not  be  long  in  recognising  him  as  their  master.     As  to 


LIFE   IN   EDINBURGH.  1 79 

emolument,  happily  he  is  not  dependent  upon  that,  but  I 
remember  the  day  when  the  chemical  chair  in  Edinburgh 
was  worth  .£2,000,  and  doubtless  under  your  son  it  will 
revive  fast.  I  don't  know  whether  you  ever  heard  Lyon 
lecture  to  a  scientific  auditory.  I  had  that  pleasure  at  the 
School  of  Mines.  Nothing  can  be  finer.  His  fluency  is 
perfect  as  it  is  in  social  conversation.  His  hearer  feels  that 
he  is  speaking  to  him,  which  is  an  immense  matter,  though 
rare  in  scientific  men,  who  are  apt  merely  to  discuss  their 
subject  and  hold  communion  with  it  or  their  own  thoughts, 
which  never  fails  to  make  them  dry  and  uninstructive.  I 
am  delighted  with  the  appointment,  because  I  think  your 
son  has  deeper  insight  into  the  philosophy  of  chemistry  and 
the  economy  of  matter  than  any  other  body ;  and  now  that 
his  time  will  be  his  own  I  am  sure  he  will  go  on  making 
great  discoveries.  So  much  interested  was  I  that  I  went 
to  the  Council  chamber,  and  though  too  late  for  the  vote, 
I  succeeded  in  forcing  a  seat  beside  a  councillor,  from 
whom  I  asked  the  result.  He  did  not  know  me,  nor  do  I 
know  who  he  was ;  but  you  will  be  pleased  to  hear  what  he 
said.  "  I  did  not  vote  for  Dr  Playfair  myself,"  said  he, 
"  but  I  could  not  but  admire  him  when  he  called  upon  me, 
for  he  said  :  '  Well,  if  you  will  not  vote  for  me  I  can 
assure  you  you  will  do  well  to  vote  for  Professor  Anderson. 
Of  course  I  don't  mean  to  say  but  that  I  should  like  you  to 
give  me  your  vote,  but  if  not,  Anderson  is  a  first-rate  man 
in  every  respect.' " 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY    CONTINUED. — VII. 

1858  to  1868. 

At  this  time  I  was  President  of  the  Chemical  Society, 
and  once  more  I  succeeded  in  breaking  away  from 
public  life  to  enjoy  the  quiet  of  an  academic  office. 
The  Chair  of  Chemistry  in  the  University  of  Edin- 
burgh has  always  been  the  chief  ambition  of  scientific 
chemists.  My  predecessor,  Professor  Gregory,  was 
an  accomplished  man  of  science,  and  had  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  modern  chemistry.  He  had  not  been 
able  to  found    a   teaching  laboratorv   on    a    scale    com- 


l80  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

mensurate  with  the  importance  of  the  chair.  This  I 
determined  to  do,  so  far  as  the  limited  accommodation 
then  in  the  University  would  permit.  Before  entering 
upon  my  duties  as  a  professor,  a  considerable  sum  had  to  be 
spent  in  equipping  the  laboratories  and  chemical  museum 
with  the  full  appliances  for  teaching. 

My  introductory  lecture  was  attended,  as  is  usual, 
by  all  the  professors,  and  by  many  residents  of  the 
city  interested  in  science.  The  subject  of  the  address 
was  "A  Century  of  Chemistry  in  the  University  of 
Edinburgh."  It  was  interesting  to  observe  how  entirely 
chemistry  had  changed  during  that  century,  and  how 
well  the  profession  in  Edinburgh  had  represented  the 
changing  periods.  At  the  beginning  of  that  epoch  the 
theory  of  phlogiston  held  universal  belief.  Phlogiston  was 
the  principle  of  heat,  and  it  was  believed  that  as  it  was 
present  or  absent  from  bodies  their  fundamental  charac- 
teristics changed.  Cullen  taught  this  from  the  chair  which 
I  now  occupied.  It  was  a  theory  that  was  fitted  for  the 
time,  because  it  brought  within  itself  a  vast  number  of  facts 
hitherto  disconnected.  An  ore  was  heated  in  the  lire  and 
it  produced  a  metal,  because  the  principle  of  fire  entered 
into  it.  The  ore  was  in  fact  metal  mimes  phlogiston,  while 
the  metal  was  the  ore  plus  phlogiston.  The  use  of  the 
balance  upset  this  famous  theory,  and  no  one  did  more 
than  Black,  Cullen's  successor,  to  apply  weight  and  measure 
to  all  experiments.  When  a  metal  was  burned  it  pro- 
duced a  calx  which  weighed  more  than  the  metal,  and 
when  the  latter  was  reproduced  by  calcination  in  a  furnace 
it  became  lighter.  How  can  this  be  explained  ?  said  the 
doubters  of  the  phlogiston  theory,  for  if  phlogiston  pass  out 
of  the  calx  and  go  into  the  metal  the  latter  should  increase 
in  weight  ?  The  upholders  of  the  theory  boldly  answered 
that  phlogiston  is  the  principle  of  lightness  as  well  as  of 
fire,  so  when  it  enters  a  body  that  body  becomes  lighter. 
Thus  lightness  is  not  a  negative  quality — the  absence  of 
weight,  as  darkness  is  the  absence  of  light — but  it  is  a 
positive  entity.  My  predecessor,  Black,  who  discovered 
the  laws  of  latent  heat,  and  the  nature  of  the  air  which  we 


LIFE   IN   EDINBURGH.  l8l 

now  know  as  carbonic  acid,  and  who  experimented  with 
the  balance  in  his  hand,  felt  that  the  grand  edifice  of 
phlogiston  was  giving  way,  though  he  was  too  old  and 
timid  to  abandon  it.  We  now  know  that  an  ore  becomes 
a  metal  because  it  loses  oxygen,  and  that  a  metal  burning 
in  air  becomes  heavier  because  it  absorbs  oxygen.  Phlo- 
giston gave  a  beautiful  picture  of  nature,  though  it  was 
nature  turned  upside  down,  and  like  a  negative  photograph 
it  showed  all  the  black  white  and  the  white  black.  Hope, 
the  successor  of  Black,  renounced  the  theory  of  phlogiston, 
and  taught  the  theories  of  Lavoisier  and  the  French  School, 
and  made  chemistry  an  attractive  study  by  the  care  which 
he  bestowed  on  the  lecture  table.  His  successor,  Gregory, 
represented  the  great  changes  which  had  passed  over  the 
science  by  the  discoveries  in  organic  chemistry,  while  I, 
who  now  lectured  as  his  successor,  was  a  sort  of  missionary 
to  bring  chemistry  into  relation  with  the  industries  of 
the  country,  which  had  too  long  been  carried  on  by  the 
rule  of  thumb. 

There  were  several  remarkable  men  among  my 
colleagues  in  the  Senate  of  the  University.  My  old 
college  companion  Goodsir  was  in  feeble  health,  though 
still  Professor  of  Anatomy.  My  friend  Edward  Forbes, 
who  had  been  Professor  of  Natural  History,  died  before 
my  arrival,  and  had  been  succeeded  by  the  excellent 
naturalist,  Professor  Allman.  The  most  active  members 
of  the  medical  faculty  on  my  arrival  were  Sir  Robert 
Christison,  Professor  Syme,  Sir  James  Simpson,  Professor 
Laycock,  and  Professor  Bennett.  It  was  natural,  with  my 
capacity  for  public  business,  that  I  should  take  part  in  the 
affairs  of  the  Senatus  Academicus,  which  met  weekly  and 
administered  the  affairs  of  the  University.  Formerly  the 
Town  Council  had  complete  control  over  the  University, 
but  that  had  recently  ceased.  I  was  disappointed  to  find 
that  many  of  my  medical  colleagues  were  in  a  state  of 
chronic  war  with  each  other,  and  it  required  considerable 
tact  on  my  part  to  keep  myself  clear  of  these  professional 
disputes,  and  at  the  same  time  to  remain  friends  with  the 
disputants  in  my  own  faculty.     I  do  not  know  whether 


1 82  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Edinburgh  now  continues  to  be  the  theatre  of  professional 
disputes,  but  it  long  had  a  bad  reputation  in  that  respect, 
for  Franklin  in  his  Autobiography  says,  "  Persons  of  good 
sense  .  .  .  seldom  fall  into  it  [professional  disputa- 
tion], except  lawyers,  university  men,  and  generally 
men  of  all  sorts  who  have  been  bred  in  Edinburgh ! " 

The  Nestor  of  the  University  was  Sir  Robert  Christison. 
He  was  a  tall  and  handsome  man,  even  in  his  old  age  as 
straight  as  an  arrow,  with  an  elastic  gait  which  showed 
how  carefully  he  had  preserved  his  physical  condition. 
He  scrupulously  protected  the  finances  of  the  University, 
and  was  willing  to  support  reforms  and  to  improve  its 
condition.  To  me  he  was  a  kind  and  courteous  friend, 
although  our  political  opinions  were  absolutely  opposite, 
so  that  at  a  future  period,  at  the  time  of  a  parliamentary 
election,  our  friendship  became  somewhat  strained. 

Professor  Syme,  the  eminent  surgeon,  was  a  short  man 
of  keen  expression  and  of  blunt  honesty  of  character, 
though  with  strong  prejudices.  His  students  highly 
valued  his  lectures  and  clinical  instruction.  He  was 
greater  as  a  professor  than  as  a  Member  of  the  Senate, 
where  calm  consideration  of  questions  was  required, 
uninfluenced  by  personal  antipathies. 

Sir  James  Simpson  was  a  man  of  great  personality  and 
power.  He  had  the  body  of  a  Bacchus,  with  the  head  of 
a  Jupiter.  His  mind  ranged  over  a  great  variety  of 
subjects — medicine,  antiquities,  history,  and  politics — and 
this  diversity  of  interest  made  him  sometimes  negligent  of 
his  professional  practice.  As  the  introducer  of  chloroform 
into  surgery  he  is  universally  known.  In  Scotland  there 
used  to  be  an  antipathy  to  objects  not  mentioned  in  the 
Bible.  On  this  account,  potatoes  were  only  slowly 
adopted  by  the  Scotch.  Simpson  had  many  struggles 
before  chloroform  was  adopted.  Not  only  was  it  un- 
known as  a  Biblical  noun,  but  it  positively  was  in  direct 
contradiction  to  the  curse  upon  woman  that  she  shall 
endure  sorrow  in  bringing  forth  children  !  Simpson 
adroitly  answered  the  religious  objections  to  chloroform 
by  saying  that  God,  when  He  performed  the  operation  of 


LIFE   IN   EDINBURGH.  1 83 

taking  out  one  of  Adam's  ribs,  first  put  him  into  a  deep 
sleep  such  as  chloroform  produces  ! 

Simpson  was  constantly  experimenting  with  new  anaes- 
thetics. On  one  occasion  he  came  into  my  laboratory  to 
ask  whether  I  had  any  new  substance  likely  to  produce 
anaesthesia.  My  assistant,  Dr  Guthrie,  had  just  prepared  a 
volatile  liquid,  bibromide  of  ethylene,  which  I  thought 
worthy  of  experiment.  Simpson,  who  was  brave  to 
rashness  in  his  experiments,  wished  to  try  it  upon  himself  in 
my  private  room.  This  I  absolutely  refused  to  allow,  and 
declined  to  give  him  any  of  the  liquid  unless  he  promised 
me  first  to  try  its  effects  on  rabbits.  Two  were  procured, 
and  under  the  vapour  quickly  passed  into  anaesthesia, 
coming  out  of  it  in  due  course.  Next  day  Simpson 
proposed  to  experiment  upon  himself  and  his  assistant 
with  this  liquid,  but  the  latter  suggested  that  they  should 
first  see  how  the  rabbits  had  fared.  They  were  both 
found  to  be  dead  !  This  has  always  appeared  to  me  to  be 
an  excellent  argument  for  experiments  on  living  animals. 
By  the  sacrifice  of  two  rabbits  the  life  of  the  greatest 
physician  of  his  time  had  probably  been  spared.  Simpson 
was  a  keen  academic  reformer,  and,  though  naturally  not 
of  a  quarrelsome  temper,  he  was  in  a  state  of  chronic  war 
with  his  medical  colleagues.  Christison  and  Syme  were 
bosom  friends,  but  always  at  war  with  some  of  the  other 
professors.  Both,  however,  would  unite  with  Bennett, 
Laycock,  and  others  in  opposition  to  Simpson.  I  was 
always  on  terms  of  intimacy  and  friendship  with  the  latter, 
and,  probably  because  I  was  outside  the  medical  pro- 
fession, retained  my  friendship  with  the  others  also. 

At  this  time  the  University  required  considerable  reform. 
The  old  tradition  of  classes  prevailed.  The  numbers  of 
students  were  too  large  in  each  class  for  effective  teaching. 
I  introduced  into  the  class  of  chemistry  a  tutorial  system 
like  that  of  repetiteurs  in  France.  The  tutors  followed  my 
course  of  lectures,  and  drilled  the  students  in  practical 
exercises  upon  the  subjects  which  I  had  discussed.  The 
system  of  examinations  prevailing  at  the  University  dis- 
couraged the  students,  because  only  two  or  three  of  them 


184  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

could  carry  away  the  prizes,  while  those  forming  the 
remainder  of  the  class  became  discouraged,  and  ceased  to 
attend  the  examinations.  I  made  each  separate  examina- 
tion of  the  value  of  100,  and  enrolled  all  students  who 
obtained  75  per  cent,  or  upwards  of  the  marks  in  the  first 
list  of  honours,  and  gave  to  each  a  bronze  medal,  while 
those  who  obtained  between  50  and  75  per  cent,  received 
certificates  in  a  second  class  of  honours.  This  gave  great 
life  to  the  class,  and  sustained  a  general  competition  all 
through  the  session.  Formerly  the  marks  at  each  examina- 
tion had  been  an  arbitrary  number.  The  simplicity  of  the 
percentage  system  was  very  useful,  as  the  parents  of 
students  understood  it,  and  they  consequently  took  an 
interest  in  the  results  of  each  examination,  and  encouraged 
their  sons  to  work.  This  has  now  become  general  in  the 
University  of  Edinburgh,  and  has  extended  itself  to  other 
educational  institutions.  I  have  found  it  to  prevail  in 
American  colleges,  perhaps  from  imitation,  though  more 
probably  from  initiation. 

The  next  step  was  to  produce  a  feeling  of  pride  among 
graduates,  so  as  to  interest  them  in  the  future  of  the 
University.  Ceremonials  of  graduation  had  fallen  into 
abeyance,  and  academic  costume  had  almost  ceased  to  be 
worn.  The  professors  did  wear  gowns,  but  had  no  hoods 
to  indicate  their  special  degrees.  In  the  efforts  to  restore 
academic  dignity  to  the  University  there  were  many 
willing  workers.  Professor  Campbell  Swinton  and  Pro- 
fessor Lorimer  in  the  faculty  of  Law,  Professors  Wilson, 
Killand,  and  Fraser  in  the  faculty  of  Arts,  joined  heartily 
in  the  new  movement.  The  conditions  for  graduation  were 
revised,  and  graduation  itself  was  made  a  stately  ceremony, 
every  graduate  having  to  appear  in  academic  dress  with 
appropriate  hoods  invented  for  classification.  This 
gave  a  great  impulse  to  graduation,  and  the  number  of 
graduates  in  each  faculty  increased  largely.  This  was 
followed  by  a  Royal  Commission  under  the  presidency  of 
Lord  Justice  General  Inglis,  now  the  Chancellor  of  the 
University.  By  his  influence  the  House  of  Commons 
increased  the  annual  vote  to  the  University,  leaving  it  to 


LIFE   IN   EDINBURGH.  1 85 

the  Executive  Commission  to  distribute  these  funds  in  the 
most  effective  way.  The  Act  founded  a  General  Council 
of  all  graduates,  so  as  to  maintain  their  continued  interest 
in  the  University.  This  Council  is  consultative  and 
advisory,  while  the  Senatus  Academicus  still  remains  the 
executive,  subject,  however,  to  a  University  Court  con- 
sisting of  the  Chancellor,  Lord  Proctor,  Principal,  and 
other  representative  members.  These  reforms,  to  which  I 
gave  a  hearty  co-operation,  introduced  a  new  academic 
life,  and  have  led  to  the  present  remarkable  prosperity  of 
the  University. 

Soon  after  I  entered  the  University  as  professor,  the 
great  philosopher,  Sir  David  Brewster,  was  appointed 
Principal.  He  had  already  filled  a  similar  office  in  the 
ancient  University  of  St.  Andrews.  Brewster's  scientific 
fame  and  his  natural  dignity  of  demeanour  made  him 
specially  fitted  for  such  an  important  post.  He  was  a 
man  of  polished  manners,  which  conveyed  the  impression 
of  a  suave  and  gentle  disposition.  But  he  had  the  serious 
drawback  of  being  singularly  litigious,  and  he  little  under- 
stood the  art  of  compromise  and  conciliation.  He  had  no 
sooner  entered  on  his  duties  than  a  lawsuit  between 
Brewster  and  Forbes  became  imminent.  Professor  Forbes, 
the  distinguished  physicist  and  author  of  an  important 
work  on  glaciers,  had  been  appointed  to  the  office  of 
Principal  in  the  University  of  St.  Andrews,  vacated  by 
Brewster's  promotion  to  Edinburgh.  Disputes  arose  about 
the  emoluments  divisible  between  the  outgoing  and  the  in- 
coming Principal.  Forbes  was  a  tall,  stately  man,  upright 
and  honourable  in  character,  though  stern  in  demeanour, 
and  unbending  on  a  question  involving  his  rights.  It  was 
pitiable  to  contemplate  a  quarrel  and  lawsuit  between  two 
such  distinguished  philosophers  as  Brewster  and  Forbes. 
One  morning  both  of  them  called  upon  me,  and  asked 
whether  I  would  act  as  umpire  in  the  dispute,  agreeing 
absolutely  to  be  bound  by  the  terms  of  my  award.  I 
accepted  the  office,  but  intimated  my  fear  that  1  was 
certain  to  displease  one  of  them,  and  that  I  valued  much 
the  friendship   of  both.      Happily,   however,   my   award 


1 86  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

gave  complete  satisfaction  to  both  disputants,  and  I  had 
the  pleasure  of  receiving  copies  of  all  their  works,  and  a 
grateful  letter  of  thanks  from  each  as  an  acknowledgment 
of  my  services.  Brewster  thus  learned  the  usefulness  of 
arbitration,  and  on  two  occasions  after  this  asked  my  aid 
to  settle  his  controversies.  One  of  these  was  to  determine 
his  claims  to  discovery  in  lighthouse  illumination,  and  this 
proved  a  heavy  undertaking. 

When  Brewster  died  (February,  1868),  the  succession  to 
the  office  of  Principal  produced  considerable  bitterness. 
Sir  James  Simpson  desired  to  have  this  dignity,  and  his 
eminent  scientific  position  entitled  him  to  become  a 
candidate.  But  this  was  intolerable  to  his  medical 
colleagues.  Sir  R.  Christison,  who  was  the  most  respected 
and  in  administration  most  useful  of  all  the  professors, 
thought  it  necessary  to  save  the  University  from  the 
difficulties  likely  to  follow  Simpson's  success,  by  intimating 
that  he  was  willing  to  accept  the  office  of  Principal. 
Professor  Syme  had  also  come  to  the  conclusion  that  he 
should  oppose  Simpson,  and  he  also  desired  to  be  a  candidate. 
The  two  life-long  friends,  Christison  and  Syme,  thus  came 
into  collision  at  an  advanced  period  of  their  life,  and  found 
it  necessary  to  extricate  themselves  from  this  dilemma. 
They  both  came  to  me  and  offered  to  withdraw  their 
claims  in  my  favour  if  I  would  accept  the  office  of 
Principal.  No  doubt  I  could  easily  have  obtained  it  with 
this  backing,  but  I  could  not  oppose  Sir  James  Simpson, 
for  whom  I  had  so  much  friendship  and  esteem.  The 
difficulty  was  ultimately  removed  by  the  appointment  of 
an  outsider,  Sir  Alexander  Grant,  the  author  of  a  work  on 
Aristotle.  This  proved  to  be  an  excellent  appointment. 
Grant  has  left  the  new  buildings  of  the  University  as  a 
monument  of  his  devotion  and  zeal  in  its  interests.  At 
his  death  I  was  again  invited  to  become  Principal,  but  I 
declined,  as  my  parliamentary  life  interfered  with  the 
proper  discharge  of  the  duties  of  the  office. 

Among  the  pupils  whom  I  had  at  my  class  in  Edin- 
burgh, there  are  two  whom  I  ought  to  mention.  I  had  a 
correspondence   with   the   Prince  Consort,  informing  me 


LIFE   IN   EDINBURGH.  1 87 

that  it  was  considered  desirable  to  send  the  Prince  of 
Wales  to  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  and  asking  me 
what  should  be  his  course  of  study.  I  thought  that, 
considering  the  future  position  of  the  Prince,  it  would  be 
best  that  I  should  give  him  a  special  course  of  lectures  on 
the  chief  manufactures  of  the  kingdom,  and  that,  after 
studying  the  scientific  processes  involved  in  a  manufac- 
ture, we  should  visit  some  mill  or  factory  to  see  it  in 
practical  operation.  The  Prince  of  Wales  came  to 
Edinburgh,  and  resided  at  Holyrood  Palace  during  the 
time  that  this  practical  course  of  instruction  was  carried 
out.  The  natural  quickness  and  intelligence  of  the  young 
Prince  made  it  easy  to  carry  out  this  course  of  study.  I 
believe  that  it  was  appreciated  by  him,  and  it  certainly 
was  by  the  Prince  Consort.  To  prevent  the  course  01 
instruction  being  too  tedious,  various  excursions  were 
made. 

On  one  occasion  we  went  through  Rob  Roy's  country, 
the  Trossachs  and  Loch  Lomond.  The  Prince  was  accom- 
panied by  his  governor,  General  Bruce,  a  man  of  sterling 
character,  and  his  tutor,  the  Rev.  Mr  Jarvis,  the  most 
agreeable  of  men.  As  the  rooms  at  the  hotels  were 
engaged  for  Professor  Playfair  and  his  pupil,  the  Prince 
tried  to  travel  incognito,  so  that  we  could  go  on  coaches 
and  steamboats  without  inconvenience.  But  not  a  single 
day  passed  without  discovery  of  the  interesting  traveller, 
and  then  the  inconveniences  dependent  on  an  exalted 
position  became  apparent. 

The  success  of  the  experiment  with  the  Prince  of  Wales 
induced  the  Queen  and  the  Prince  Consort  to  send  their 
second  son,  Prince  Alfred,  to  the  University.  In  his 
case  a  more  systematic  course  of  science  was  desirable, 
and  the  Duke  entered  into  his  studies  at  several  classes 
with  much  diligence  and  intelligence.  As  he  resided  at 
Holyrood  Palace  and  entered  with  enjoyment  into  the 
social  life  in  Edinburgh,  he  became  intimately  acquainted 
with  the  city,  which  was  afterwards  taken  as  the  title  by 
which  he  is  now  known,  the  Duke  of  Edinburgh. 

The   exiled   French    Princes    also    sent    their    sons   to 


1 88  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Edinburgh  for  part  of  their  education.  I  received  the 
commands  of  the  Queen  to  place  my  services  at  their 
disposal.  The  Due  d'Aumale,  Prince  de  Joinville,  and 
the  Due  de  Nemours  came  with  their  sons.  With 
the  view  of  introducing  them  to  the  leading  people 
in  Edinburgh,  I  had  a  dinner-party,  to  which  their 
Royal  Highnesses  came,  and  in  the  evening  there  was 
a  large  reception  attended  by  the  young  Princes,  the 
Due  d'Alengon,  the  Prince  de  Conde,  and  the  Due  de 
Penthievre.  They  were  then  too  young  to  attend  the 
University,  so  they  entered  the  High  School,  and  also 
another  school,  for  scientific  instruction.  The  people 
of  Edinburgh  were  much  interested  in  the  young  Princes, 
and  afterwards  gave  them  ample  hospitality.  The 
Prince  de  Joinville  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  scientific 
institutions  of  the  city,  and  for  some  time  honoured 
me  with  correspondence.  I  possess  a  long  and  interesting 
letter  from  him  about  Lynch  Law  in  America,  which 
he  had  thoroughly  studied  as  a  rough  and  ready  sup- 
plement to  common  law  when  defectively  administered 
in  unsettled  States. 

The  14th  December,  1861,  was  a  day  of  mourning  for 
all  the  United  Kingdom.  I  was  at  church  on  Sunday,  the 
15th,  when  a  whisper  went  round  that  the  illustrious 
Prince  Consort  was  dead.  To  me  this  was  a  source  of 
real  sorrow.  He  had  allowed  me  to  co-operate  with  him 
in  many  of  his  measures  for  improving  the  condition  of  the 
people.  The  difficulties  of  his  position  as  Prince  Consort 
made  it  necessary  for  him  to  be  reserved  in  intercourse 
with  many  persons,  but  to  those  whom  lie  had  once 
honoured  with  his  confidence  he  was  singularly  affable 
and  lovable.  His  letters  to  Baron  Stockmar,  published  in 
the  Life  of  the  latter,  show  how  thoroughly  open  and  frank 
he  was  in  communication  with  his  advisers.  He  had  one 
attribute  most  valuable  to  a  Prince  ;  that  was  that  he  was 
pleased  by  an  honest  opposition  to  his  views,  and 
discussed  objections  with  perfect  fairness.  Even  when  in 
the  royal  household,  I  never  was  a  courtier  in  the 
ordinary   sense   of   that   word,   and    I   believe    that    my 


LIFE   IN   EDINBURGH.  189 

opinion  was  valued  because  it  was  openly  and  honestly- 
given,  without  courtly  flattery.  At  his  death  I  received  a 
letter  from  one  who  knew  him  better  than  I  did,  and 
whose  opinions  are  worth  preserving.  Sir  Charles  Phipps, 
the  writer  of  this  letter,  was  confidential  secretary  to  the 
Queen,  and  was  necessarily  in  daily  intercourse  with  the 
Prince  Consort.  His  letter,  which  fully  expresses  my  own 
sentiments,  is  as  follows  : — 

Sir  Charles  PhippS  to  Play  fair.     Osborne,  December  zSth,  1861. 

.  My  dear  Playfair, — I  think  there  were  few  who 
appreciated  and  valued  our  beloved  master  better  than 
you.  It  required  minds  like  yours  fully  to  know  all  his 
worth.  You  could  not  only  mourn  him  from  personal 
regard,  but  you  were  capable  of  knowing  what  the  country 
has  lost.  It  mourns  him  now  as  he  should  be  mourned, 
but  the  full  cause  for  sorrow  will  be  better  and  better 
known  each  passing  year.  Even  if  I  were  a  flatterer, 
which  I  never  have  been,  there  would  be  no  profit  in 
flattering  dead  princes,  but  I  can  safely  say  now  that  I 
never  met  so  good  and  so  truly  great  a  man. 

I  mourn  him  as  my  master  and  my  friend,  but  I  mourn 
him  now,  far  more,  because  I  feel  that  in  every  relation 
in  life,  every  department  of  good,  every  step  of  progress 
in  good,  one  has  been  torn  from  us  who  cannot  be 
replaced — has  been  torn  from  us  just  when  his  usefulness 
and  his  benevolence  were  at  their  zenith,  when  he 
had  lived  through  calumny,  and  all  were  acknowledging 
his  virtue  and  were  inclined  to  look  upon  him  in  the 
future  as  a  patron  and  guide. 

It  is  almost  too  hard  to  bear,  but  God's  will  be  done.  I 
hardly  dare  to  write  of  my  own  grief  from  the  house  of  the 
poor,  desolate,  widowed  Queen.  But  her  calm,  sorrowful, 
tranquil  grief  is  a  most  touching,  elevating  sight.  It  is 
hardly  possible  to  believe  that  a  high  sense  of  duty  can 
bring  out  such  a  glorious  condition  of  mind  as  hers.  She 
does  indeed  deserve  the  love  of  her  people. 

Sincerely  yours, 

C.  B.  Phipps. 


190  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

By  the  gracious  desire  of  the  widowed  Queen  I  had  an 
opportunity  of  paying  the  last  tribute  of  respect  to  my 
beloved  master  at  the  State  funeral,  which  took  place  at 
Windsor.  Then  all  classes  had  realised  the  heavy  loss  to 
the  kingdom.  Brave  men  sobbed  like  children,  and  even 
the  choristers  broke  down  when  they  had  to  sing  the 
requiem.  But  this  grief  was  small  in  comparison  with 
that  of  the  widowed  Queen  and  of  the  children  who  adored 
their  father.  That  grief  was  too  deep  and  too  sacred  to  be 
fathomed  by  the  public. 

Although  I  was  pursuing  a  quiet  academic  life  in  Edin- 
burgh, the  Government  had  not  forgotten  my  existence 
when  they  were  forming  Royal  Commissions  for  inquiry 
on  important  public  subjects.  A  Royal  Commission  was 
issued  to  examine  and  report  on  the  herring  fishery  of  the 
British  coasts,  and  of  this  I  was  appointed  president.  The 
chief  member  of  this  Commission  was  the  well-known 
naturalist,  Professor  Huxley.  After  a  thorough  inquiry  the 
Commission  came  to  some  startling  conclusions  which  have 
laid  the  basis  of  modern  fishery  legislation  in  regard  to  sea 
fish  as  distinguished  from  river  fish.  Herrings  had  been 
allowed  a  close  time  like  partridges  and  grouse,  the  close 
time  not  being  uniform,  but  varying  at  different  parts  of 
the  coast.  The  object  of  this  was  to  protect  the  fish 
during  their  spawning,  and  so  to  keep  up  the  supply. 
During  the  close  time  herrings  could  not  be  caught  for  bait, 
and  the  result  was  that  cod  and  ling,  their  natural  enemies, 
had  a  close  time  also,  and  devoured  shoals  of  herrings  at 
their  leisure.  We  could  not  tell  how  many  cod  and  ling 
were  in  the  sea,  but  we  had  a  return  of  the  quantity  salted, 
and  supposing  that  they  had  remained  in  the  sea  with  a 
diet  of  only  four  or  five  herrings  daily,  they  would  have 
caught  more  herring  than  all  the  fishermen  of  the  United 
Kingdom  and  600  added.  The  laws  thus  instituted  for  the 
protection  of  the  herring  led  to  their  destruction,  for  close 
time  multiplied  their  natural  enemies  and  shut  out  the 
fishermen,  who  really  reduced  the  latter. 

The  Royal  Commission  had  been  issued  on  account  of 
the  agitation  of  certain  classes  of  fishermen  for  increased 


LIFE   IN   EDINBURGH.  191 

protection,  but,  like  Balaam,  though  called  upon  to  curse 
the  open  sea  fishermen,  we  blessed  them  altogether,  and 
the  close  time  was  repealed. 

In  1862  another  great  International  Exhibition  was  held 
in  London.  I  desired  to  keep  out  of  this  work,  but  I  was 
much  pressed  to  undertake  the  charge  of  the  administration 
of  awards,  and  to  appoint  the  600  jurors  who  were  requi- 
site on  account  of  the  large  scale  of  the  Exhibition.  As 
some  dissatisfaction  was  shown  in  185 1  as  to  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  juries,  I  asked  all  the  exhibitors  in  each  class  to 
send  me  a  list  of  six  persons  in  whom  they  had  confidence, 
and  we  appointed  the  jurors  according  to  the  number  of 
votes.  In  this  way  we  got  together  a  remarkable  collection 
of  jurors.  The  foreign  jurors  were  nominated  by  their 
respective  commissions.  The  most  eminent  men  were 
willing  to  serve.  Mr  Gladstone  became  a  juror,  as  well 
as  many  leading  statesmen  of  all  countries.  I  took  a 
house  in  London  for  the  season,  and  had  the  pleasure  of 
entertaining  many  distinguished  foreigners.  Among  my 
most  constant  visitors  was  Michel  Chevalier,  the  French 
political  economist,  a  charming  man,  the  Due  de  Luynes, 
the  French  ambassador  at  Pekin  during  the  war,  the 
Marchese  di  Cavour,  brother  of  the  great  Italian  states- 
man, and  many  others.  Lord  Taunton  was  the  chairman 
of  the  Council  of  Juries,  and  managed  his  task  with  great 
adroitness.  Lord  Stratford  de  Redcliffe,  the  prince  of 
English  diplomatists,  had  lately  returned  from  the  Turkish 
Embassy,  and  was  chairman  of  one  of  the  juries  connected 
with  decorative  art.  I  had  appointed  Owen  Jones,  then 
the  chief  authority  on  decorative  art,  to  be  secretary  of  the 
jury,  but  the  great  diplomatist  had  never  heard  ol  him,  and 
asked  me  why  I  did  not  give  him  somebody  who  knew 
something  of  the  subject.  Upon  this  Owen  Jones  made  a 
remark  which  has  often  struck  me  for  its  truth :  "  In  what 
a  little  circle  we  all  live  !  Some  of  us  think  that  we  are 
famous  ;  but  it  is  only  inside  our  little  circle,  and  outside 
that  the  world  knows  nothing  of  us." 

Lord  Stratford  de  Redcliffe  aided  me  in  showing  hospi- 
tality to  the  foreign  jurors  by  agreeable  dinners,  at  which 


192  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

he  took  the  top  and  I  the  bottom  of  the  table.  He  was 
then  in  good  health  and  vigour,  but  soon  afterwards  his 
long  services  told  upon  his  constitution  ;  yet  when  I  last 
saw  him,  shortly  before  his  death,  his  intellect  was  as  keen 
and  vigorous  as  ever.  At  the  close  of  the  Exhibition  I 
received  various  honours  from  foreign  sovereigns.  From 
Austria  I  obtained  the  decoration  of  Commander  of  Francis 
Joseph,  from  Sweden  that  of  the  Polar  Star,  from  Portugal 
the  Order  of  the  Conception,  and  from  Wurtemberg 
another  decoration.  The  King  of  Prussia  presented  me 
with  two  large  porcelain  vases  representing  the  recovery 
of  Achilles'  armour  from  the  sea. 

Another  onerous  Commission  was  issued  in  October, 
1865,  in  consequence  ot  a  heavy  calamity  having  come 
upon  the  country.  In  this  year  the  Cattle  Plague  broke 
out  in  England,  and  threatened  the  extermination  of  our 
herds  and  flocks.  The  panic  among  the  farmers  was  great, 
and  it  was  necessary  to  issue  a  strong  Royal  Commission 
to  devise  means  for  arresting  the  terrible  plague.  I  was 
travelling  on  the  Continent  when  I  received  a  letter  from 
Lord  Granville  asking  me  to  return  immediately  and  serve 
on  the  Commission.  I  was  desirous  that  there  should  be 
another  member  upon  it  besides  myself  who  should  repre- 
sent sanitary  science,  and  I  suggested  the  name  of  Dr 
Parkes,  of  Netley  College.  At  that  time  Dr  Parkes  was 
little  known  to  public  men,  but  he  afterwards  laboured 
so  much  to  promote  public  health  that  he  wore  himself 
ou  tby  his  exertions,  and  died  prematurely.  The  Com- 
mission was  a  strong  one.  The  President  was  Lord 
Spencer,  who  in  recent  years  has  won  so  much  fame  by 
his  firm  administration  of  Ireland  during  its  most  disturbed 
period.  Among  the  other  members  were  Lord  Salisbur}-, 
now  Prime  Minister  and  Mr  Robert  Lowe,  now  Lord 
Sherbrooke,  who  was  one  of  the  bravest  and  most  far- 
seeing  of  all  the  Commissioners.  The  Commission  made 
a  thorough  inquiry  into  the  nature  of  the  plague,  its  means 
of  propagation,  and  the  suggested  remedies.  Scientific 
men  were  employed  to  report  upon  all  branches  of  the 
inquiry,   but,   though   they   threw   valuable  light  on  the 


LIFE   IN  EDINBURGH.  1 93 

nature  of  the  disease,  no  suggestions  were  made  for  staying 
its  progress.  Ultimately  we  made  bold  and  sweeping 
recommendations  that  markets  should  be  shut  up  in 
infected  districts,  all  transit  of  cattle  prohibited,  and 
diseased  cattle  ruthlessly  slaughtered  and  buried  or  burned. 
We  saw  that  there  was  no  other  method  than  to  stamp 
out  the  plague  with  an  iron  hand.  Never  was  the  report 
of  a  Royal  Commission  received  with  such  indignation  and 
contempt.  Every  newspaper  in  the  country  ridiculed  the 
report,  and  attacked  those  Commissioners  who  were 
known  to  constitute  the  majority  in  favour  of  extreme 
measures.  I  published  a  pamphlet  containing  a  history 
of  the  Cattle  Plague  from  the  earliest  times,  and  gave 
the  reasons  for  the  conclusions  of  the  Commission.  This 
pamphlet  had  an  extensive  sale,  and  did  a  good  deal  to 
allay  public  indignation.  Finally,  Parliament  became 
convinced  that  there  was  no  other  method  of  combatting 
the  plague  than  that  of  stamping  it  out,  and  local  authori- 
ties were  required  to  follow  our  recommendations.  The 
disease  was  then  quickly  stayed,  and  before  long  stamped 
out  altogether.  Twice  in  my  life  I  have  had  to  go 
through  a  season  of  great  unpopularity.  One  was  after 
the  report  on  the  Cattle  Plague,  and  the  other  at  a  later 
period,  after  the  reorganisation  of  the  Civil  Service  on 
what  is  called  "The  Playfair  Scheme."  As  I  felt  in  both 
cases  that  I  had  acted  to  the  best  of  my  judgment,  and 
believed  in  the  wisdom  of  the  recommendations,  this 
temporary  unpopularity  did  not  trouble  me. 

The  Cattle  Plague  Commission  was  issued  in  the  autumn 
of  1865.  In  the  summer  of  that  year  I  was  in  Germany, 
and  paid  a  visit  which  much  interested  me.  This  was  to 
Kranichstein,  the  hunting  seat  of  the  Grand  Duke  of 
Hesse,  in  the  Black  Forest.  The  Grand  Duke  was 
absent,  and  Prince  Louis  and  Princess  Alice  were  then 
staying  there.  I  had  known  the  Princess  since  she  was  a 
child,  and  I  much  admired  her  many  excellent  qualities 
and  cultivated  mind  in  later  years.  Kranichstein  is  a 
simple  little  place,  and  so  thoroughly  in  the  forest  that 
wild  boars  sometimes  drank  from  the  water   under  the 


194  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

windows.  I  arrived  on  Sunday  morning.  The  Prince 
and  his  visitors  having  gone  to  the  chapel,  and  also  the 
servants,  Princess  Alice  kindly  remained  behind,  in  order 
to  welcome  me  on  my  arrival.  While  we  were  conversing, 
a  note  came  from  Prince  Louis  to  say  that  he  would  bring 
the  Lutheran  Minister  to  the  mid-day  dinner.  This 
seemed  to  disturb  the  Princess,  who  told  me  that  her  table 
was  small,  and  that  there  was  absolutely  no  room  for  an 
additional  guest,  and  as  all  the  servants  were  at  church 
the  table  could  not  be  relaid.  I  reminded  her  that  she 
used  to  entertain  me  at  the  Swiss  Cottage  at  Osborne 
when  she  was  a  child,  and  that  I  knew  she  could  lay  a 
table  better  than  servants.  She  was  pleased  with  the 
suggestion,  and  we  went  to  the  dining-room,  took  all  the 
things  from  the  table,  put  in  a  new  leaf,  and  rearranged 
everything  before  the  party  returned  to  the  house.  It  is 
probably  in  allusion  to  this  that  she  refers  to  me  so 
pleasantly  in  her  letter  to  the  Queen  of  the  17th  July, 
published  in  her  correspondence. 

Princess  Alice  was  a  noble  woman,  who  has  not  been 
unduly  extolled  by  her  biographers.  As  a  child  she  was 
frank  and  charming  ;  as  a  woman,  gracious  and  amiable. 
Her  nervous  force  was  weakened  by  her  labours  during 
the  war,  and  by  her  family  bereavement.  The  last  time  I 
saw  her,  at  Windsor,  she  broke  down  completely,  because 
my  presence  brought  the  loss  of  her  father  to  her  recol- 
lection. When  I  heard  of  the  diphtheria  in  the  ducal 
palace,  I  felt  convinced  that  this  noble  woman  would  die. 

In  this  year  (1865)  I  paid  another  visit  which  was  full 
ol  interest  to  me.  The  Queen  was  staying  at  Coburg, 
where  she  intended  to  be  present  at  the  State  unveiling  of 
a  statue  of  the  Prince  Consort,  who,  as  is  well  known, 
was  a  brother  of  the  reigning  Duke.  Her  Majesty  directed 
the  Duke  of  Edinburgh  to  write  to  me  and  command  my 
presence,  not  only  at  that  ceremonial  but  also  at  various 
receptions  which  were  to  take  place  during  the  week. 
The  Queen  resided  at  a  small  palace  where  there  was  not 
sufficient  room  for  her  suite,  and  the  invited  guests  had  to 
be  distributed  in  different  places.     Lord  Granville  was  the 


LIFE   IN   EDINBURGH.  1 95 

Minister-in-waiting,  and  kindly  offered  me  accommodation 
in  a  house  which  had  been  appropriated  to  him.  When  I 
waited  on  the  Duke  of  Coburg  he  received  me  very 
graciously,  as  having  taken  part  in  the  education  of  his 
heir  and  successor,  the  Duke  of  Edinburgh.  It  was  a 
new  experience  to  me  to  see  Court  ceremonials  in  one 
of  the  German  Duchies.  I  never  saw  State  functions 
better  carried  out,  either  in  point  of  display  or  in  ex- 
cellence of  taste.  The  inauguration  of  the  statue  was  in 
itself  a  stately  ceremonial,  and  it  was  made  touching  by 
the  enthusiasm  of  the  people,  and  by  their  love  for  their 
lost  Prince.  The  Queen  was  obviously  much  touched  by 
the  sympathy  shown  to  herself,  and  by  the  love  displayed 
for  the  Prince  Consort.  The  Princess  Royal,  and,  indeed, 
almost  every  other  member  of  the  family,  were  present.  I 
think  it  was  here  that  I  saw  for  the  first  time  Prince 
Christian,  who  afterwards  married  Princess  Helena.  I 
mention  this  because  in  later  years  he  has  allowed  me 
to  co-operate  with  him  in  public  work,  and  has  extended 
to  me  many  proofs  of  friendly  interest,  both  in  public  work 
and  in  private  correspondence. 

I  do  not  recollect  anything  else  in  the  last  two  years  of 
my  life  in  Edinburgh  that  deserves  special  mention,  except 
perhaps  that  I  published  a  memoir  '  On  the  Food  of  Man 
in  relation  to  his  Work.'  There  were  views  in  this  that 
have  not  been  generally  received,  although  they  were  in 
support  of  those  entertained  by  my  great  master,  Baron 
Liebig,  in  his  work  on  Animal  Physiology.  But,  inde- 
pendently of  theoretical  views,  I  gathered  together  and 
tabulated  the  experience  of  mankind  in  various  countries 
of  the  world  as  to  the  amount  of  food  required  for  man  in 
different  kinds  of  work,  and  these  tables  are  now  adopted 
as  a  basis  in  physiological  works,  both  at  home  and  abroad. 
In  consequence  of  them  Dr  Pavy  kindly  dedicated  to  me 
his  important  work  on  food. 

There  were  many  men  of  interest  in  Edinburgh  and  its 
neighbourhood  to  whom  I  have  made  no  allusion.  I  do 
not  wish  to  forget  one  for  whom  I  formed  a  strong 
affection,    Dr    John    Brown,    author    of    '  Rab    and    His 


196  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Friends/  and  many  delightful  essays  which  are  still 
popular  among  reading  men.  It  was  impossible  to  know 
John  Brown  without  loving  him.  His  marked  individu- 
ality is  in  all  he  wrote.  Who  can  read  that  prose  poem  of 
Rab,  the  dog,  and  his  master,  the  carrier,  without  feeling 
the  deep  pathos  of  the  author,  and  recognising  his  loving 
nature  towards  man  and  beast  ?  John  Brown  was  a 
frequent  visitor  at  my  house  till  ill-health  parted  him 
from  his  friends. 

Another  marked  character  who  frequently  came  to 
Edinburgh  to  see  me,  and  to  whose  residence  in  the 
country  I  occasionally  went,  was  the  old  Marquis  of 
Tweeddale.  He  was  a  man  of  varied  experience,  having 
been  in  the  army  under  Wellington,  and  afterwards 
Governor  of  Madras.  He  was  one  of  the  first  men  to 
introduce  the  steam  plough  into  agriculture,  but  paid  the 
penalty  of  being  before  his  time  by  losing  money  in  his 
farming  operations.  He  had  a  bright,  active  mind,  and 
made  his  home  at  Yester  agreeable  to  visitors.  Several 
of  his  daughters  were  then  unmarried,  and  were  bright, 
intellectual  women. 

Who  that  knew  Edinburgh  at  that  period  can  forget 
Lady  Ruthven  and  her  beautiful  old  house  near  Edin- 
burgh ?  The  old  lady  was  stone  deaf,  and  could  only  be 
communicated  with  by  writing  on  a  slate.  She  was 
most  hospitable,  and  had  always  pleasant  people  to  stay 
at  her  house,  in  which  was  quite  a  museum  of  Grecian 
vases  and  other  antiquities  collected  by  her  husband. 
Lady  Ruthven  possessed  a  monkey,  which  chattered  and 
seemed  able  to  converse  with  the  deaf  lady,  who  made 
suitable  replies.  Much  as  I  liked  this  fine  old  lady,  the 
process  of  writing  one's  thoughts  on  a  slate  was  tedious. 
Her  sister,  Lady  Belhaven,  was  on  one  occasion  ill,  and  I 
desired  to  inquire  how  she  was,  but  I  found  the  same 
question,  "  How  is  Lady  Belhaven  ? "  already  written 
twelve  times  on  the  slate,  so  I  had  to  invent  a  more 
original  observation  ! 

On  my  leaving  Edinburgh,  the  University  passed  a 
minute  of  appreciation  of  my  services  during  my  ten  years' 


LIFE   IN   EDINBURGH.  1 97 

residence  in  the  city,  and  perhaps  I  may  best  conclude 
this  chapter  by  inserting  it. 

Extract  from  the  Minutes  of  the  Senatus  Academicus  of 
the  University  of  Edinburgh,  dated  November  6th,  i86g. 

The  Senatus  desire  to  record  in  their  Minutes  the  high 
sense  of  the  valuable  services  rendered  to  the  University 
by  their  late  colleague,  Dr  Lyon  Playfair,  who,  by  the 
able  manner  in  which  he  conducted  the  work  of  his 
classes,  by  his  earnestness  in  the  advancement  and  in  the 
practical  application  of  science,  by  his  admirable  powers  of 
organisation,  by  his  efforts  to  obtain  scholarships  and 
endowments  and  to  render  the  University  more  directly 
useful  in  guiding  the  general  education  of  the  people,  and 
by  his  affable  deportment,  did  much  to  promote  the  well- 
being  of  the  University  of  Edinburgh. 

This  minute,  and  the  conferring  of  an  honorary  degree 
of  LL.D.,  brought  my  academic  connection  with  the 
University  of  Edinburgh  to  a  pleasant  conclusion. 

The  editor  may  here  not  unfittingly  subjoin  another 
extract  from  the  Minutes  of  the  Senate  of  the  University — 
that  which  was  passed  nearly  thirty  years  later,  at  the 
time  of  Playfair's  death. 

Extract  from  the  Minutes  of  the  Senatus  Academicus  of 
the  University  of  Edinburgh,  of  date  2j.th  June,  1898. 

The  Senatus  desire  to  put  on  record  their  sense  of  the 
loss  which  science,  especially  applied  science,  has  sustained 
by  the  death  of  Lord  Playfair.  Lord  Playfair  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Senatus  from  1858  till  1869,  and  not  only  dis- 
charged the  duties  of  the  Chair  of  Chemistry  with  great 
zeal  and  ability,  but  was  of  special  service  to  the  University 
in  the  organisation  of  the  System  of  Degrees  in  Science. 
His  influence  and  example  did  very  much  to  extend  and 
improve  the  practical  teaching  of.  science,  and  the  Senatus 
recall  with  special   admiration   his   success   in   creating  a 


198  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

teaching  laboratory  in  the  only  rooms  which  the  Uni- 
versity could  give  him  for  the  purpose,  rooms  altogether 
inadequate  in  extent  and  arrangements. 

Although  there  now  remain  only  two  professors  who 
were  colleagues  of  Lord  Playfair,  every  member  of  the 
Senatus  knew  him  as  an  active  helper  of  the  University, 
and  most  as  a  personal  friend. 

He  represented  the  Universities  of  Edinburgh  and  St. 
Andrews  in  Parliament  for  seventeen  years,  and  was  thus 
brought  into  constant  contact  with  the  Senatus.  He  had 
often  to  defend  the  interests  of  the  University,  which  he  did 
with  ability  and  success,  arising  from  his  intimate  knowledge 
of  the  affairs  of  the  University  and  of  the  educational  systems 
of  Europe  and  America.  The  Senatus  would  especially 
refer  to  the  important  part  which  he  took  as  Vice-President 
of  the  Privy  Council  in  securing  the  rights  of  the  University 
in  the  Medical  Act  of  1886. 

The  Senatus  record  their  sense  of  personal  loss,  desire 
to  express  the  sympathy  they  feel  for  Lady  Playfair  and 
the  members  of  the  family,  and  instruct  the  Senate  to  send 
copies  of  this  minute  to  them. 

(Signed)     L.  J.  GrAnt, 

Sec.  Sen.  Acad. 

Playfair's  account  of  his  life  in  Edinburgh  as  Professor  of 
Chemistry  by  no  means  conveys  to  the  reader  an  adequate 
idea  of  the  work  which  he  undertook,  and  the  varied  part 
he  played,  not  only  in  university  life,  but  in  other  spheres 
of  usefulness.  It  may  be  doubted  whether  anyone  holding 
a  Scotch  professorship  has,  either  before  or  since  the  time 
of  Playfair,  united  with  the  faithful  discharge  of  his  pro- 
fessorial duties  so  much  hard  work  in  connection  with  the 
public  life  of  the  country.  The  Professor  of  Chemistry  at 
Edinburgh  was,  at  the  same  time,  the  trusted  adviser  of 
Her  Majesty's  Ministers  on  questions  of  grave  public  im- 
portance, and  the  counsellor  of  the  Queen  and  the  Royal 
Family  on  matters  in  which  they  were  personally  interested. 


LIFE   IN  EDINBURGH.  1 99 

One  of  the  first  public  tasks  assigned  to  Playfair  after  he 
took  up  his  abode  in  Edinburgh  was  that  of  organising  the 
Jury  Department  in  the  second  International  Exhibition — 
that  of  1862.  No  greater  tribute  could  have  been  paid  to 
the  success  with  which  he  had  done  his  share  of  the  work 
in  connection  with  the  Exhibition  of  185 1,  than  his  appoint- 
ment, with  a  free  hand,  to  the  responsible  position  which 
he  undertook  in  connection  with  the  Exhibition  of  1862. 
The  following  letter  speaks  for  itself : — 

Sir  Francis  Sandford  to  Playfair,  "  February  1st,  1862. 

My  dear  Playfair, — The  Commissioners,  at  their 
meeting  yesterday,  desired  me  to  write  and  request  that 
you  would  undertake  the  superintendence  of  the  Jury 
Department,  with  plenary  powers.  In  the  hope  that  you 
would  be  willing  to  do  so,  they  further  instructed  me  to 
forward  copies  of  the  original  decision  as  to  juries,  the  proof 
of  the  decisions  which  were  drawn  up  when  you  were 
last  in  London,  and  the  proof  of  the  general  paper  of  in- 
structions for  jurymen  discussed  at  the  same  date.  Neither 
of  these  last  forms  has  yet  been  made  public,  and  the 
object  of  this  letter  is  to  ask  you  to  have  the  goodness  to 
send  me  back  either  corrected  in  the  form  which  you  wish 
to  be  adopted  as  the  final  decisions  in  the  matter.  .  .  . 
In  sending  me  your  decisions,  perhaps  you  will  have  the 
goodness  to  let  me  have  a  sketch  of  any  circular  letter 
which  you  would  wish  to  go  out  with  them  to  the  foreign 
commissioners. 

Believe  me, 

Yours  very  faithfully, 

F.  R.  Sandford. 

This  letter  makes  it  clear  that  Playfair  received  absolute 
powers  and  an  unfettered  discretion  with  regard  to  the 
composition  and  classification  of  the  juries  in  the  Exhibi- 
tion of  1862.  It  is  a  striking  proof  of  the  exceptional 
position  which  he  had  made  for  himself  that  such  powers 


200  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

should  have  been  conferred  by  the  Government  upon  a 
Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh. 

Reference  has  been  made  by  Playfair  himself  to  one 
portion  of  the  duties  which  he  undertook  outside  his 
professorial  work  whilst  he  resided  in  Edinburgh.  This 
was  the  advice  and  assistance  which  he  gave  in  connec- 
tion with  the  education  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  the  Duke 
of  Edinburgh,  and  other  princes  more  or  less  nearly 
connected  with  our  own  Royal  Family. 

Playfair  to  Colonel  Grey.  Edinburgh,  July  i$th,  1859. 

Dear  Colonel, — Since  I  received  Sir  Charles  Phipps's 
letter,  I  have  reflected  on  the  best  means  of  giving  to  the 
Prince  of  Wales  such  scientific  instruction  as  he  could  best 
receive  in  the  short  time  that  he  will  be  here,  without 
demanding  too  much  time  from  other  objects  of  study. 
It  appears  to  me  that  the  best  course  would  be  to  teach 
him  through  manufactures.  There  are  several  large  objects 
of  manufacturing  industry  upon  which  our  prosperity  as  a 
nation  to  a  great  extent  depends — especially  those  relating 
to  iron  and  cotton.  I  would  suggest  that  he  should  spend 
three  hours  weekly  in  my  laboratory,  studying  the  prin- 
ciples upon  which  these  manufactures  depend  ;  and  when 
he  has  mastered  them  theoretically  and  experimentally, 
that  we  should  make  one  or  two  excursions  to  Glasgow  to 
see  works  on  a  large  scale  with  a  view  to  his  understanding 
their  national  importance,  and  the  application  of  science  to 
industry.  Two  days  in  Glasgow  at  different  times  would 
probably  suffice.  One  day  would  be  devoted  to  iron,  both 
as  regards  its  production  and  application  to  machinery  ; 
another  day  would  be  well  spent  on  cotton,  commencing 
with  cotton-spinning  and  ending  with  calico-printing.  The 
third  great  object-lesson,  on  textile  fabrics,  would  be  best 
learnt  in  Edinburgh,  in  the  application  of  linen  rags  to 
paper-making.  I  would  also  suggest  a  similar  lesson  on 
coal,  commencing  with  gas-works.  You  will  readily  under- 
stand that  I  select  these  staples  of  our  industry  as  a  means 


LIFE   IN   EDINBURGH.  201 

of  giving  permanent  scientific  instruction,  while  at  the 
same  time  information  will  be  acquired  of  great  importance 
to  a  Prince  destined  to  fill  such  an  important  position  in 
this  country.  Finally,  I  think  it  would  gratify  the  Glasgow 
people  much  if  the  Prince  visited  their  city  as  part  of  his 
educational  course. 

Playfair  has  told  us  in  the  preceding  chapter  of  his 
Reminiscences  of  the  success  with  which  he  carried  out 
this  programme  for  the  instruction  of  the  Prince  of  Wales 
in  the  practical  application  of  science  to  industry.  It  was 
whilst  the  Prince  was  living  in  Edinburgh  as  Playfair's 
pupil  that  an  incident  occurred  which  has  already,  I 
believe,  been  published.  The  Prince  and  Playfair  were 
standing  near  a  cauldron  containing  lead  which  was 
boiling  at  white  heat. 

"  Has  your  Royal  Highness  any  faith  in  science  ? " 
said  Playfair. 

"  Certainly,"  replied  the  Prince. 

Playfair  then  carefully  washed  the  Prince's  hand  with 
ammonia  to  get  rid  of  any  grease  that  might  be  on  it. 

"  Will  you  now  place  your  hand  in  this  boiling  metal, 
and  ladle  out  a  portion  of  it  ?  "  he  said  to  his  distinguished 
pupil. 

"  Do  you  tell  me  to  do  this  ?  "  asked  the  Prince. 

"  I  do,"  replied  Playfair.  The  Prince  instantly  put  his 
hand  into  the  cauldron,  and  ladled  out  some  of  the  boiling 
lead  without  sustaining  any  injury.  It  is  a  well-known 
scientific  fact  that  the  human  hand,  if  perfectly  cleansed, 
may  be  placed  uninjured  in  lead  boiling  at  white  heat, 
the  moisture  of  the  skin  protecting  it  under  these  conditions 
from  any  injury.  Should  the  lead  be  at  a  perceptibly  lower 
temperature,  the  effect  would,  of  course,  be  very  different. 
It  requires,  however,  courage  of  no  common  order  for  a 
novice  to  try  such  an  experiment,  even  at  the  bidding  of 
a  man  so  distinguished  in  science  as  was  Playfair. 


202  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

One  of  the  subjects  that  engaged  Playfair's  attention 
during  his  residence  in  Edinburgh  was  the  erection  of  the 
Scottish  Memorial  to  the  Prince  Consort.  There  were 
wide  differences  of  opinion,  both  as  to  the  character  of  the 
memorial  and  the  site  where  it  should  be  placed.  Play- 
fair,  as  a  citizen  of  Edinburgh,  naturally  took  a  warm 
interest  in  the  discussion.  But  it  was  as  one  of  the 
personal  friends  of  the  Prince  Consort,  and  as  the  adviser 
of  the  Queen,  that  he  played  the  most  prominent  part  in 
settling  the  questions  at  issue.  The  monument,  as  Scottish 
readers  are  aware,  was  finally  placed  on  a  site  in  Charlotte 
Square,  but  Playfair  recommended  a  more  commanding 
one  between  the  old  and  new  towns. 

General  Grey  to  Playfair.  Osborne,  February  2nd,  1863. 

Dear  Playfair, — I  have  submitted  your  letter  and 
the  photographs  to  the  Queen,  and  with  the  aid  of  the 
explanations  which  my  knowledge  of  Edinburgh  has 
enabled  me  to  add,  I  think  she  has  formed  a  very  fair  idea 
of  the  comparative  merits  of  the  two  sites.  She  is  much 
disposed  to  prefer  that  which  you  suggest ;  and  without 
expressing  any  positive  wish  on  the  subject — which  per- 
haps she  ought  not  to  do  until  more  officially  appealed 
to — Her  Majesty  is  decidedly  of  opinion  that  it  would  be 
expedient  to  bring  your  suggestion  more  prominently 
forward.  For  myself,  I  have  no  hesitation  whatever  in 
saying  that  I  think  the  site  you  propose  is  infinitely  the 
best.  I  know  the  site  well,  and,  independently  of  its  con- 
nection with  the  two  institutions  dedicated  to  science  and 
art,  I  cannot  imagine  a  finer  or  more  commanding  position 
for  a  memorial  to  the  Prince.  But  the  platform  or  terrace 
on  which  it  should  stand,  as  well  as  the  flight  of  steps 
leading  up  to  it,  should  really  be  what  you  say- — mag- 
nificent, and  worthy  of  their  object.  .  .  .  On  such  a 
site  as  you  suggest,  I  think  (if  funds  admitted  of  it), 
architecture  would  come  in  with  great  advantage  to  the 
assistance  of  sculpture. 


LIFE   IN   EDINBURGH.  203 

1  hope,  if  anything  ever  brings  you  south,  you  will  let 
me  have  the  chance  of  seeing  you. 

Ever  yours  most  sincerely, 

C.  Grey. 

Same  to  the  same.  Windsor  Castle,  May  1st,  1863. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  am  left  behind  here  in  small 
health,  in  the  hope  of  being  well  enough  to  go  with  the 
Queen  a  fortnight  hence  to  Balmoral.  The  Queen  would 
be  very  glad  to  see  Mr  Noel  Paton's  design  for  the 
Edinburgh  Memorial,  and  also  wishes  to  take  the  oppor- 
tunity of  speaking  to  you  upon  other  matters  ;  and  Her 
Majesty  desired  me  to  say  that  if  you  can  make  it 
convenient  to  go  down  to  Osborne  any  day  in  the 
beginning  of  next  week,  she  would  be  glad  to  see  you — 
probably  Monday  or  Tuesday  next.  Perhaps  you  will  write 
a  line  to  Sir  Charles  Phipps  to  say  when  you  may  be  ex- 
pected.    I  am  very  sorry  to  miss  you  by  not  being  there.  .  . 

Believe  me, 

Yours  very  truly, 

C.  Grey. 

At  the  beginning  of  1864,  Playfair  was  appointed  by 
the  Queen  a  member  of  the  Committee  charged  with  the 
duty  of  selecting  the  design  and  the  site  for  the  Scottish 
Memorial  to  the  Prince  Consort,  and  in  that  capacity  he 
had  a  full  share  in  deciding  both  the  character  of  the 
Memorial  and  the  spot  where  it  was  to  be  placed. 

In  1865,  the  extra  University  work  in  which  he  took  a 
part  was  of  a  more  serious  character  than  this  discussion 
as  to  the  site  of  the  National  Monument.  He  has 
referred  briefly  in  his  Reminiscences  to  the  storm  of 
opprobrium  that  raged  around  the  Royal  Commissioners 
who  were  appointed  to  consider  the  best  means  of  dealing 
with  the  cattle  plague  which  in  1865  caused  such  terrible 
injury  to  the  graziers  and  cattle-breeders  of  the  United 
Kingdom.  He  has  not,  however,  laid  emphasis  upon  the 
fact  that  he  was  the  leading  object  of  this  feeling  of  anger. 


204  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

This  distinction  he  owed  to  the  circumstance  that  it  was 
by  his  advice  more  largely  than  that  of  any  other  man 
that  the  Commissioners  were  guided  in  arriving  at  their 
recommendations.  His  correspondence  for  that  year  with 
Lord  Spencer,  Lord  Granville,  Sir  James  Simpson,  Mr 
Bence  Jones,  and  many  other  persons  of  importance, 
shows  to  how  large  an  extent  his  time  and  energies  must 
have  been  absorbed  in  this  work  of  fighting  the  cattle- 
plague.  Great  use  was  made  in  Parliament  and  elsewhere 
of  his  name  and  his  opinions,  both  by  the  friends  and  the 
opponents  of  the  Royal  Commission.  He  himself  stood 
sturdily  to  his  guns,  facing  the  storm  without  flinching, 
and  affording  proof  that  his  remarkable  tact  in  dealing 
with  awkward  questions  and  solving  difficult  problems  was 
not  inconsistent  with  a  strong  moral  fibre  and  absolute 
fearlessness  in  facing  the  condemnation  of  the  public  when 
he  felt  convinced  that  he  was  in  the  right.  Such  work  as 
that  which  was  laid  upon  him  in  connection  with  this 
cattle-plague  inquiry  made  a  heavy  demand  upon  his  time 
and  reserves  of  strength  and  energy.  His  only  reward 
was  his  knowledge  that,  thanks  to  the  final  adoption  of 
the  course  which  he  had  suggested,  the  plague  was  stayed, 
and  a  great  calamity  averted. 

I  may  close  this  chapter,  dealing  with  Playfair's  varied 
experiences  during  the  years  of  his  professorship  at  Edin- 
burgh, with  a  reference  to  his  journey  on  the  Continent  in 
1865,  when  he  had  his  pleasant  meeting  with  Princess 
Alice  at  Kranichstein,  and  attended  the  inauguration  of  the 
Prince  Consort's  monument  at  Coburg.  In  a  letter  to  the 
Queen,  dated  July  17th,  Princess  Alice  says  : — "  Dr  Lyon 
Playfair  lunched  with  us  yesterday  ;  he  is  so  charming." 
This  was  on  the  occasion  recorded  in  the  Reminiscences, 
when  Playfair  and  the  Princess  relaid  the  dinner  table 
in  order  to  provide  for  an  additional  guest,  who  had  been 
unexpectedly  invited  by  the  Prince. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

IN       PARLIAMENT. 

Beginning  a  Political  Career — Member  for  Edinburgh  and  St.  Andrews 
Universities — Political  Convictions — Appointed  one  of  the  Commis- 
sioners of  the  1851  Exhibition.  Autobiography  :  Liberal  Member 
for  a  Conservative  Constituency  :  Maiden  Speech  :  Appointment  of 
a  Liberal  Leader  in  the  House  of  Commons  :  President  of  the  Midland 
Institute:  The  Prince  Consort's  Superiority  to  Jealousy  :  Opposing  the 
Cry  of  "  Over-Education  "  :  Supporting  a  Bill  for  opening  Trinity 
College,  Dublin,  to  Roman  Catholics :  Attitude  towards  the  Irish 
University  Bill :  Mr.  Gladstone's  Magnanimity  :  Appointed  Postmaster- 
General  :  President  of  the  Civil  Service  Commission :  Opposing  the 
Anti-Vivisectionists  :  Reforming  the  Scottish  Universities.  Playfair  the 
Introducer  of  the  Halfpenny  Post-card — Reception  of  his  Pamphlet 
on  '  Teaching  Universities  and  Examining  Boards  '  —  His  Popu- 
larity at  the  Post  Office — The  Tichborne  Case — The  Election  of 
Liberal  Leader  in  the  Commons — Averting  a  Disastrous  Schism. 

The  year  1868  witnessed  another  change  in  the  position 
and  occupations  of  Playfair.  We  have  seen  him  as  an 
active  public  official  holding  important  offices  under  the 
State,  and  we  have  also  seen  him  engaged  in  fulfilling  the 
duties  of  the  Professorship  of  Chemistry  at  Edinburgh. 
When  he  himself  undertook  that  office  in  1858,  it  was  in 
the  belief  that  the  remainder  of  his  days  would  be  given  to 
scientific  work  ;  but  scarcely  had  he  been  settled  in  his 
chair  at  the  University,  when  his  services  were  called  for 
by  his  country,  and  during  the  whole  term  of  his  residence 
in  Edinburgh,  he  was  subject  to  repeated  demands  for  his 
assistance  on  matters  of  public  importance.  In  1868  he 
entered  upon  a  new  career.  Doubly  interested  in  every- 
thing that  concerned  the  University,  he  was  anxious  in 
that  year  that  the  Reform  Bill,  which  was  then  passing 


206  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

through  Parliament,  should  provide  for  the  representation 
of  the  Scotch  Universities,  and  he  communicated  with  Mr 
Gladstone  on  this  subject.  In  the  end,  his  wishes  with 
regard  to  this  matter  were  gratified.  The  new  Reform 
Bill  provided  two  members  for  the  Scotch  Universities — 
one  for  the  united  Universities  of  Edinburgh  and  St. 
Andrews,  and  the  other  for  the  Universities  of  Glasgow 
and  Aberdeen.  It  was  suggested  to  Play  fair  that  he  should 
become  a  candidate  for  Edinburgh  and  St.  Andrews,  and 
after  some  hesitation  he  consented  to  this  proposal. 

In  his  Autobiography  he  explains  some  of  the  peculiar 
conditions  of  the  constituency  to  which  he  had  to  appeal, 
and  that  for  many  years  he  continued  to  represent  in  the 
House  of  Commons.  It  was  essentially  a  Conservative 
constituency,  and  it  would  certainly  not  have  chosen 
Playfair  as  its  representative  if  it  had  not  been  for  his 
personal  popularity  with  the  constituents,  and  for  the 
great  value  that  was  set  upon  his  public  services.  Play- 
fair  himself  was,  as  he  had  been  throughout  his  public  life, 
a  convinced  and  confirmed  Liberal ;  but  he  had  learnt,  as  a 
member  of  the  Civil  Service,  how  to  subordinate  his  own 
political  opinions  to  the  general  welfare  ;  and  in  entering 
Parliament  as  the  representative  of  a  University  con- 
stituency, and  that  a  constituency  which  was  largely  Con- 
servative, he  found  that  he  was  to  some  extent  in  the 
same  position  as  that  which  he  had  held  when  in  the 
Civil  Service.  He  could  hold  his  own  opinions,  and  hold 
them  as  strongly  as  he  pleased,  but  he  could  not  become 
an  active  and  open  participator  in  the  conflicts  of  parties. 
It  followed  that  during  the  years  when  he  sat  in  the  House 
of  Commons  as  member  for  the  University  of  Edinburgh 
he  was  chiefly  known  to  the  House  and  to  the  world  in 
connection  with  questions  of  social  reform,  and  was  but 
little  involved  in  partisan  controversies. 

Yet,  although  he  felt  compelled  by  the  peculiarity  of  the 


IN  PARLIAMENT.  2QJ 

position  he  held  to  refrain  from  using  his  opportunities  as 
a  member  of  Parliament  to  embark  in  merely  partisan 
struggles,  he  was  far  too  honest  to  conceal  his  opinions 
from  his  constituents  or  the  world.  The  General  Election 
of  1868  turned  largely  upon  the  question  of  the  Irish  Church. 
It  was  known  that  Mr  Gladstone,  if  he  secured  a  majority 
in  the  new  Parliament,  intended  to  propose  the  dis- 
establishment of  that  Church.  Playfair,  in  appealing  to 
the  electorate  in  the  summer  of  1868,  did  not  conceal  the 
fact  that  in  this  respect  he  was  a  warm  supporter  of  Mr 
Gladstone's  policy.  The  declaration  brought  down  upon 
his  head  many  remonstrances  from  influential  members  of 
the  University,  and  caused  him  to  lose  a  large  number  of 
votes.  It  may  be  well  to  quote  one  of  the  letters  which 
he  received  at  this  time,  as  it  will  suffice  to  clear  away  any 
doubt  that  may  have  existed  as  to  the  character  in  which 
he  made  his  first  appeal  to  the  constituency  for  election  to 
the  House  of  Commons. 

27,  Inverleith  Row,  Edinburgh, 

Professor  Balfour  to  Playfair.  June  2yd,  1868. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  was  not  a  little  annoyed  to 
find  by  your  manifesto  that  you  advocated  the  disestab- 
lishment of  the  Irish  Church.  That,  with  me,  is  a  vital 
question,  and  I  do  not  feel  that  I  can  conscientiously 
support  anyone  who  espouses  this  view.  It  is  one  of  my 
great  objections  to  Gladstone.  I  believe  that  the  measure 
involves  virtually  the  national  ignoring  of  Protestantism  in 
Ireland,  and  that  it  will  lead  to  the  worst  consequences 
not  only  there  but  in  Britain.  You  say  that  it  will  advance 
Protestantism.  The  Roman  Catholics  do  not  think  so, 
and  they  are  far  wiser  than  any  of  our  rulers.  They 
support  the  measure  because  it  will  certainly  lead  to  the 
advance  of  Romanism.  I  regret  much  that  you  have 
become  so  thoroughly  Gladstonian,  and  that  you  are 
supporting  Gladstone  as  Chancellor.  You  know  that  he 
has  no  good  feeling  towards  our  University,  and  that  he 


208  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIK. 

has  done  nothing  for  us.  ...  I  have  been  a  Whig  all  my 
life,  and  I  am  so  still,  but  I  think  that  University  interests 
are  above  mere  party  politics,  and  I  therefore  leave  party, 
and  support  a  man  as  member  from  whom  I  differ  politi- 
cally. In  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  I  must  with- 
draw my  pledge  to  vote  for  you,  and  must  leave  myself 
free  to  adopt  any  plan  of  voting  I  may  think  best  fitted  to 
advance  the  cause  of  the  University  and  of  Protestantism. 

Yours  -truly, 

J.  W.  Balfour. 

It  is  only  fair  to  Playfair  to  publish  this  specimen  of  the 
letters  which  he  received  at  the  time  of  his  candidature  for 
the  University.  In  his  Reminiscences  he  explains  to  how 
large  an  extent  he  stood  aside  from  party  politics  in  the 
House  of  ^Commons  ;  but,  in  justice  to  him,  it  must  be 
noted  that  he  not  only  gained  his  seat  as  an  avowed 
Gladstonian,  but  faced  the  loss  of  a  large  number  of  his 
supporters  when  doing  so.  When  the  election  took  place, 
his  opponent  being  Professor  Campbell  Swinton,  Playfair 
was  returned  by  a  majority  of  260  votes. 

The  Parliament  elected  in  1868  was  the  first  which  had 
been  returned  under  the  Household  Suffrage  Act.  It  gave 
the  Liberal  party  the  support  of  a  large  majority  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  and  Mr  Gladstone  took  office  as 
Prime  Minister  at  the  head  of  an  Administration  that 
was  destined  to  leave  an  indelible  mark  upon  the  history 
and  institutions  of  the  country.  Very  soon  after  the  new 
Government  had  been  installed  in  office,  Playfair  received, 
through  Lord  Granville,  an  appointment  which  was  very 
gratifying  to  him.  In  June,  1869,  he  became  one  of  the 
Commissioners  for  the  Great  Exhibition  of  185 1.  It  was  a 
post  which  he  had  certainly  earned  by  his  services  to  that 
Exhibition  and  to  the  Commissioners  in  earlier  days,  and 
his  return  to  a  close  connection  with  the  work  of  the 
Commissioners  restored  him  to  a  field  of  labour  which  he 


IN   PARLIAMENT.  209 

had  made,  in  a  sense,  peculiarly  his  own.  A  new  Member 
of  Parliament  is  not,  as  a  rule,  a  man  of  much  importance. 
He  has  to  serve  an  apprenticeship  usually  of  more  than 
seven  years'  duration  before  he  really  begins  to  make  his 
mark  among  his  fellow-members.  But  Playfair  entered 
the  House  of  Commons  in  1868  with  so  great  a  reputation, 
both  as  a  man  of  science  and  a  public  servant,  that  from 
the  first  he  took  a  position  very  different  from  that  of  the 
ordinary  new  Member.  What  that  position  was  may  be 
gathered  from  the  fact  that  barely  two  years  after  he 
entered  Parliament  it  was  generally  reported  that  he  had 
been  offered  the  post  of  Vice-President  of  the  Council. 
The  report,  as  it  happened,  was  untrue,  but  the  mere 
fact  that  it  should  have  been  circulated,  and  should 
have  been  believed  by  many  of  his  friends,  affords  striking 
testimony  to  the  place  which  he  had  secured  in  the  public 
esteem. 

I  must  now  leave  Playfair  himself  to  resume  the  thread 
of  his  narrative. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY     CONTINUED. — VIII. 

1868  to  1877. 

In  the  year  1868  the  Conservative  Government  passed 
the  Representation  of  the  People  Act,  and  considerably 
extended  the  area  of  representation.  During  the  passing 
of  that  Act,  the  Scotch  Universities  made  considerable 
efforts  to  have  representation  extended  to  them  in  the 
same  manner  as  it  has  long  been  enjoved  by  the  Universi- 
ties of  England.  Professor  Campbell  Swinton,  a  leading 
Conservative  in  Scotland,  went  up  to  London  to  urge 
these  claims  upon  the  Government,  and  I  accompanied 
him  in  order  to  act  upon  Mr  Gladstone  and  the  Liberal 
party.  Our  efforts  were  successful  to  the  extent  of 
obtaining  two  Members  for  the  four  Scotch  Universities. 
Edinburgh    and    St.   Andrews   Universities   received   one 

o 


210  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Member,  a  similar  representation  being  given  to  Glasgow 
and  Aberdeen. 

The  elections  took  place  at  the  end  of  the  year.  The 
constituency  of  the  Universities  is  the  General  Council  of 
graduates  in  each  University.  In  the  case  of  Edinburgh  and 
St.  Andrews  it  amounts  to  about  5,000.  Almost  all  the 
graduates  are  men  engaged  in  professions,  chiefly  ministers, 
lawyers,  doctors,  and  schoolmasters.  They  are  scattered  in 
every  town  in  the  United  Kingdom,  and  form  a  constituency 
difficult  to  canvass  and  necessarily  costly,  as  it  involves  a 
large  amount  of  correspondence  as  well  as  of  agency.  The 
two  candidates  for  the  first  representation  were  Professor 
Campbell  Swinton  and  myself.  Each  of  us  was  assisted  by 
committees  in  all  the  large  towns,  as  well  as  by  central 
committees  in  Edinburgh.  After  a  severe  contest,  con- 
ducted, however,  with  good  humour,  I  was  elected  as  the 
first  University  representative  by  a  majority  of  about  250. 
I  resigned  my  chair  at  the  University,  and  returned  to 
London  for  permanent  residence. 

It  is  always  wise  for  new  members  to  take  little  part  in 
the  House  of  Commons  till  they  understand  its  habits  and 
modes  of  work.  I  therefore  occupied  myself  for  the  first 
year  in  acquiring  this  knowledge,  and  in  serving  on  com- 
mittees. My  position  was  peculiar.  All  University  seats 
are  Conservative.  I  was,  in  fact,  an  advanced  Liberal 
representing  a  Tory  seat.  I  had  won  it  chiefly  from  two 
causes  :  first  because  my  public  work  had  made  me  better 
known  to  the  constituents  in  England  and  Ireland  than  my 
learned  opponent,  who  was  much  esteemed  in  Scotland. 
The  second  point  in  my  favour  was  that  I  always  had  large 
classes,  and  between  my  former  pupils  and  myself  there 
was  a  strong  bond  of  attachment.  After  graduation,  my 
former  pupils  still  supported  their  professor,  regardless  of 
politics.  The  second  was  perhaps  the  chief  cause  of  my 
success,  as  I  learned  more  distinctly  in  after  years,  for 
although  I  continued  to  represent  the  University  in  Parlia- 
ment for  seventeen  years,  in  each  successive  contest  my 
majorities  lessened,  because  a  new  race  of  graduates  arose 
"  who  knew  not  Joseph,"  and  the  Conservative  character  of 


IN   PARLIAMENT.  211 

the  constituency  began  to  assert  itself.  All  through  m}' 
University  representation  the  fact  that  I  was  a  member  for 
a  Tory  constituency  weighed  upon  me.  I  could  not  take 
an  active  part  in  party  politics,  and  was  obliged  to  limit 
myself  to  neutral  subjects  connected  with  science,  educa- 
tion, public  health,  and  social  welfare. 

My  first  speech  in  the  House  of  Commons  (1869)  was 
upon  the  abolition  of  religious  tests  in  the  English  Uni- 
versities. Tests  had  long  been  abolished  in  Scotland,  but 
in  England  the  places  of  honour  and  emolument  in  the 
Universities  could  only  be  obtained  by  members  of  the 
English  Church.  My  speech  was  a  distinct  success,  and 
was  well  received  by  both  sides  of  the  House.  Speaker 
Denison  sent  for  me  to  offer  his  congratulations,  and 
several  of  the  leaders  on  the  Conservative  side  were 
generous  enough  to  cross  over,  not  to  express  approval 
of  my  views,  but  to  tell  me  that  I  had  secured  the  ear 
of  the  House  for  the  future. 

In  1870  I  urged  the  adoption  of  the  system  of  open 
halfpenny  letters,  now  known  as  post-cards,  and  the  idea 
commended  itself  to  Lord  Hartington,  who  was  then  Post- 
master-General, and  was  quickly  accepted  by  the  Post 
Office.  In  this  year  W.  E.  Forster  introduced  his  great 
measure  for  a  national  system  of  education  in  England, 
and  upon  such  a  subject  I  was  bound  to  take  an  active 
part.  Forster  much  appreciated  my  aid  in  passing  his 
Bill,  and  we  remained  warm  friends  to  the  end  of  his  life. 
Forster  was  a  tall  man  of  marked  features,  and  rather  blunt 
in  manner,  though  he  really  possessed  a  tender  and  affec- 
tionate nature.  His  speeches  in  the  House  were  courteous 
to  friends  as  well  as  to  opponents  ;  but  his  blunt  talk  in  the 
lobbv  sometimes  gave  offence.  When  his  peculiarities  were 
understood,  it  was  impossible  not  to  love  and  admire  him. 

"  Oh  !  honest,  stalwart  man,  whose  earnest  face 
Mirrored  the  soul  within,  whose  every  deed 
Made  answer  to  thy  word  ;  who  gav'st  no  heed 
To  foolish  babble  or  the  lust  of  place." 

His  Education  Act  offended  the  Nonconformists,  and 
did  not  satisfv  the  denominationalists.     The  dislike  of  the 


212  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

former  prevented  him  being  elected  leader  of  the  Liberal 
party  in  1874,  when  Gladstone  suddenly  threw  down  the 
baton  of  leader.  At  that  emergency  I  was  asked  by 
Lord  Granville  to  sound  the  Liberal  party  as  to  whether 
Lord  Hartington  or  Forster  should  become  leader.  The 
post  brought  letters  daily  showing  an  equal  division  of  the 
party,  although  with  this  difference,  that  the  Noncon- 
formists were  bitter  against  Forster,  while  the  supporters 
of  the  latter  were  simply  indifferent  as  to  Lord  Hartington. 
After  a  long  consultation  at  Lord  Granville's  house  we 
determined  to  support  the  latter,  and  I  drove  down  to 
Eccleston  Square  to  see  Forster,  who  was  then  ill,  in  order 
to  ask  him  to  withdraw  his  claim.  He  furnished  me  with 
a  letter  to  this  effect,  which  was  immediately  sent  to 
the  evening  papers — just  in  time,  for  Hartington,  with  his 
usual  modesty,  desired  that  afternoon  to  withdraw  in 
favour  of  Forster. 

Outside  the  House,  the  year  1870  was  one  of  consider- 
able activity.  Birmingham  had  founded  "The  Midland 
Institute,"  at  the  birth  of  which  I  aided,  when  the  founda- 
tion stone  was  laid  by  the  Prince  Consort.  The  Midland 
Institute  was  in  the  habit  of  changing  its  presidents 
annually  in  order  to  obtain  new  addresses,  and  in  this 
year,  Charles  Dickens  having  died  during  his  period  of 
office,  I  was  elected  to  be  his  successor.  The  title  of  my 
address  was  the  "  Inosculation  of  the  Arts  and  Sciences." 
In  a  busy  manufacturing  town  like  Birmingham  it  was 
important  to  show  the  mutual  dependence  of  both,  for  just 
as  two  arteries  inosculate  and  pour  their  contents  the  one 
into  the  other,  so  do  the  arts  and  sciences,  to  their  mutual 
nourishment.  The  audience  at  Birmingham  filled  every 
part  of  the  great  Town  Hall,  and  seemed  to  be  pleased 
with  the  subject,  and  I  hope  with  the  exposition.  A  few 
days  earlier  I  had  given  at  Newcastle  an  address  "  On 
National  Education,"  in  my  capacity  as  President  of  the 
Educational  Section  of  the  Social  Science  Association. 
Both  these  addresses  are  published  in  the  volume  'Subjects 
of  Social  Welfare.' 

I  have  stated  that  the  Midland  Institute  was  inaugurated 


IN   PARLIAMENT.  213 

by  the  Prince  Consort,  who  then  gave  one  of  those  broad, 
comprehensive  speeches  which  were  beginning  to  attract 
the  attention  of  the  public  to  his  great  capacity.  I  may 
mention  an  incident  in  regard  to  this  speech  which  will 
show  how  superior  he  was  to  petty  jealousy.  As  one  of 
his  suite  I  had  handed  a  copy  of  the  speech  to  the 
reporters.  An  obscure  literary  journal,  long  since  dead, 
wrote  a  series  of  articles  in  which  it  pointed  out  some 
fancied  resemblances  in  my  printed  lectures  to  the 
speeches  of  the  Prince  Consort,  contending  that  I  was 
the  author  of  the  latter  also.  The  journal  was  so  obscure 
that  I  hoped  it  would  not  attract  the  observation  of  the 
Prince.  On  the  next  occasion  when  it  was  again  necessary 
for  the  Prince  Consort  to  make  an  important  speech,  he 
sent  for  me  as  usual  to  hear  him  read  it,  and  to  ask  for  my 
criticism,  which  I  always  gave  in  a  frank  manner.  This 
time  I  said  that  I  had  no  criticism  to  offer.  The  Prince 
laughed  and  said  significantly — "  I  am  glad  that  you  like 
it,  because  it  may  bring  you  credit !  " 

In  1 87 1  the  educational  subjects  for  discussion  in  the 
House  of  Commons  were  numerous.  The  Endowed 
Schools  Act  of  1869  was  operating  too  well  to  please  the 
Church  and  the  Tories,  so  assaults  were  made  upon  it. 
The  old  fear  cropped  up  that  there  was  to  be  "  over- 
education  "  of  the  people.  Cardinal  Cullen  vehemently 
opposed  the  high  character  of  popular  education.  In 
evidence  before  a  Royal  Commission  on  Irish  Education 
he  used  these  words  : — 

"  Too  high  an  education  will  make  the  poor  oftentimes  discon- 
tented, and  will  unsuit  them  from  following  the  plough,  or  from 
using  the  spade,  or  from  hammering  iron  or  building  walls." 

His  Eminence,  therefore,  strongly  objected  to  having 
higher  subjects  than  reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic  taught 
in  schools,  in  order,  as  he  expounded  it,  "  to  cultivate  the 
talent  of  a  miserable  minority."  I  took  the  occasion  of 
one  of  these  discussions  to  defend  the  opposite  view.  No 
nation  had  ever  too  much  of  an  intellectual  fund,  and  it  is 
the  highest  duty  of  all  public  schools,  whether  elementary 


214  MEMOIRS  OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

or  secondary,  to  find  out  youth  of  talent,  and  to  develop 
such  talent  by  higher  instruction.  As  Sir  John  Lubbock 
and  I  have  had  to  fight  for  this  view  continually  in  the 
House,  I  may  quote  the  last  sentence  of  a  speech  delivered 
by  me  on  July  21st,  1871  : — 

"  If  the  educational  endowments  of  this  country  were  not  to  be 
freely  opened  '  to  the  miserable  minority  '  of  the  talented  poor,  let 
them  give  in  the  elementary  schools  such  instruction  as  would 
enable  the  pupils  to  know  what  was  the  object  and  purpose  of  the 
elements  there  taught,  so  that  they  might  not  fling  away  these 
elements  like  their  worn-out  boyish  small  clothes  as  soon  as  they 
began  to  win  their  daily  bread,  but  that  they  might  use  the  know- 
ledge acquired  in  school  to  further  their  advancement  as  intelligent 
beings  in  whatever  position  and  occupation  they  might  be  placed  " 
('  Hansard's  Debates,'  ccviii.,  p.  128). 

This  view  I  have  steadily  maintained  in  after  years,  and 
as  chairman  of  an  important  Select  Committee  on  Endowed 
Schools  in  the  years  1886-7,  I  had  the  satisfaction  to  see 
that  the  promotion,  not  only  of  secondary  but  also  of 
technical  education,  received  the  distinct  recognition  of 
the  House  of  Commons.  The  conditions  of  industrial 
and  commercial  competition  with  foreign  countries  have 
awakened  the  public  mind  to  the  truth  that  the  com- 
petition of  industry  has  now  ceased  to  depend  on  the 
possession  of  cheap  raw  materials  or  other  local  advan- 
tages, but  has  become  actually  one  of  intellect  among  the 
producers  of  this  kingdom  and  of  foreign  nations. 

About  this  time  I  became  intimately  associated  with 
Professor  Fawcett,  who  was  totally  blind,  but  did  not 
allow  this  disability  to  interfere  with  his  work.  Fawcett 
was  admired  by  all  his  political  colleagues  for  the  activity 
of  his  intellect  and  his  unswerving  integrity.  He  brought 
in  a  Bill  for  opening  up  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  to  Roman 
Catholics,  and  I  gave  him  hearty  support.  The  following 
extract  from  his  speech  in  introducing  the  Bill  shows  how 
much  he  appreciated  my  co-operation  : — 

"  If,  turning  to  this  side  of  the  House,  Liberal  members  were 
appealed  to,  and  asked  to  name  the  man  who,  from  his  University 
experience,  from  his  great  ability,  from  his  position  in  this  House, 
from  his  representing  a  University  constituency,  is  best  qualified  to 


IN   PARLIAMENT.  21 5 

deal  with  this  subject  of  University  Education,  should  we  not  all,  in 
a  candid  moment,  say  it  was  the  hon.  member  for  the  University  of 
Edinburgh  (Dr  Lyon  Playfair)  ?  " 

The  Bill  introduced  by  Fawcett  was  supported  by  the 
authorities  of  Trinity  College,  who  had  always  encouraged 
the  attendance  of  Roman  Catholic  students,  although  they 
had  no  powers  to  admit  them  to  fellowships  or  professor- 
ships. The  Bill  was  eminently  reasonable,  but  it  was 
opposed  by  Gladstone  as  likely  to  interfere  with  a  larger 
scheme  of  University  Education  for  Ireland  which  he  then 
had  in  contemplation.  Fawcett  and  I  knew  nothing  of 
his  views  at  this  time.  Had  Gladstone  frankly  taken  us 
into  his  counsels  our  action  would  probably  have  been 
different,  and  the  subsequent  difficulties  of  the  Government 
would  have  been  avoided.  The  Bill  for  the  reform  of 
Trinity  College  was  well  received  by  the  House,  which 
passed  its  second  reading  by  a  majority  of  73.  Its  success 
seemed  to  be  assured;  but  on  the  morning  of  April  25th, 
1872,  when  it  was  to  go  into  the  Committee  stage,  all  the 
Liberal  newspapers  received  notice  that  a  Parliamentary 
crisis  was  imminent,  because  the  Ministry  would  resign 
and  dissolve  Parliament  if  the  Bill  were  prosecuted  to  its 
subsequent  stages.  An  extract  from  my  speech  on  that 
day  will  show  the  surprise  of  the  promoters  of  the  Bill : — 

"  We  suddenly  find  our  little  Bill,  which  we  thought  to  be  a  star 
of  the  sixth  magnitude,  blazing  up  into  a  fierce  sun  which  was 
scorching  friends  and  foes  alike.  .  .  .  That  is  a  turn  of  the 
Ministerial  screw  that  can  only  be  made  very  rarely  and  carefully 
without  the  Ministerial  machine  going  to  pieces "  ('  Hansard's 
Debates,'  ccx.  p.  1824). 

Our  majority  melted  away  under  the  threat  ol 
dissolution. 

During  the  autumn  of  this  year,  I  published  an  elaborate 
pamphlet  under  the  title  of  '  Teaching  Universities  and 
Examining  Boards,'  in  order  to  defeat  the  intention  of  the 
Government  to  introduce  a  Bill  for  the  reform  of  Irish 
Universities  upon  the  type  of  the  University  of  London, 
which  is  a  mere  examining  Board.  This  pamphlet  excited 
much  notice,  and  rapidly  went  through  several  editions. 


2l6  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

I  was  informed  by  members  of  the  Cabinet  that  when 
Gladstone  prepared  his  draft  Bill  of  1873,  he  circulated 
with  it  a  copy  of  my  pamphlet  to  each  of  the  Ministers,  so 
that  they  might  judge  whether  he  had  met  my  objections 
to  a  mere  examining  system.  At  last  the  Government  Bill 
was  introduced.  It  was  carefully  prepared,  and  worthy  of 
the  great  talents  of  its  author,  except  in  a  few  important 
points.  It  tried  to  conciliate  the  priests  by  excluding 
mental  philosophy  and  modern  history  from  the  new 
University,  and  it  abolished  Galway  College  by  throwing 
it  as  a  sop  to  the  Clerical  party.  I  attacked  the  Bill 
on  several  grounds,  among  which  was  the  abolition  of  one 
of  the  Queen's  Colleges.  In  this  I  was  supported  by  the 
fact  that  131  out  of  the  141  students  of  Galway  College, 
both  Protestants  and  Catholics,  memorialised  me  to  be 
their  advocate  ;  while  at  the  same  time  all  the  students  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  University  of  Dublin  desired  me  to 
represent  their  view  that  philosophy  and  history  should 
not  be  excluded  from  the  curriculum  of  their  studies. 
While  the  Roman  Catholics  thus  showed  their  confidence 
in  my  educational  views,  the  stronghold  of  Protestantism, 
Trinity  College,  Dublin,  published  a  special  edition  of  my 
pamphlet,  and  circulated  it  extensively.  Gladstone,  seeing 
that  I  had  much  moral  support  behind  me,  was  anxious  to 
secure  my  adhesion  to  his  Bill,  and  in  the  course  of  the 
debate  put  up  Cardwell  to  state  that  my  objections  "were 
not  of  the  essence  of  the  Bill,  and  would  be  conceded  in 
Committee."  Accordingly  I  voted  for  the  Second  Reading. 
For  this  I  was  much  blamed  by  the  Press  at  the  time, 
but  I  think  that  I  was  right  not  to  help  to  throw  out  a 
Liberal  for  a  Conservative  Government  when  the  former 
consented  to  adopt  my  views  at  a  later  stage.  I  strongly 
objected  to  the  exclusion  of  philosophy  and  history  from 
the  University,  as  the  following  passage  from  my  speech 
will  show  : — 

"This  Bill  limits,  if  it  does  not  exclude,  metaphysical  and  ethical 
subjects,  and  thus  forces  the  student  to  be  one  of  two  things — either 
a  bigot  or  an  infidel.  I  object  to  this  exclusion  of  subjects,  to  this 
tongue-tying  of  professors,  and  to  the  encouragement  of  academic 
dissent  on  the  part  of  the  students ;  and  I  do  so  because  science, 


IN   PARLIAMENT.  217 

whether  mental  or  natural,  can  only  breathe  and  flourish  in  an 
atmosphere  of  liberty.  Science  must  grow  in  the  light  which  comes 
direct  from  the  Creator ;  it  is  dwarfed  and  dies  if  the  light  be 
intercepted  by  a  Church,  and  thus  be  feebly  reflected  upon  it  .  .  . 
The  Bill  has  been  framed  with  a  view  to  conciliate  the  Ultramon- 
tane party.  It  has  failed  to  do  this,  and  it  has  not  satisfied  the 
Liberal  Catholics  of  Ireland.  Ultramontanism  always  appears  to 
me  to  be  ecclesiastical  communism.  Communism  is  the  reduction 
of  property  to  a  common  level,  and  Ultramontanism  is  the 
reduction  of  religious  spirit  and  intellectual  thought  to  a  common 
level." 

Count  Bismarck  seems  to  have  hit  on  the  same  idea,  for 
in  a  speech  at  a  date  subsequent  to  this  he  speaks  of 
Ultramontanist  priests  as  being  "  black-robed  communists." 

Dean  Stanley  accepted  my  definition,  and  headed  a 
pamphlet,  '  Ultramontanism  is  Ecclesiastical  Communism.' 

Robert  Lowe  (now  Lord  Sherbrooke)  was  put  up  to 
answer  my  speech.  Lowe's  speeches  were  always  full  of 
pungency  and  close  reasoning  when  they  were  carefully 
prepared.  He  had  given  ample  pains  to  demolish  my 
arguments,  but  he  thought  that  the  speech  would  be  a 
repetition  of  my  pamphlet,  and  I  had  carefully  avoided 
that  line  of  argument.  Mr  Lowe  made  a  good  speech,  but 
it  was  no  answer  to  mine.  It  was  very  different  in  the 
case  of  Mr  Gladstone's  closing  speech  a  few  days  later. 
He  devoted  himself  with  all  his  power  and  eloquence  to 
upset  my  arguments.  I  had  gone  up  into  the  gallery  to 
hear  him  better  ;  and,  not  seeing  me  in  my  place,  his  keen 
eye  quickly  detected  me  in  the  gallery,  and  he  addressed 
his  speech  to  me  in  my  lofty  perch — the  only  time  that  I 
have  ever  seen  this  done.  I  happened  to  be  sitting  not  far 
from  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and  His  Royal  Highness  sent 
sympathetic  smiles  to  console  me  in  my  demolition  ! 

The  Bill  was  defeated  by  a  majority  of  three,  and  the 
Government  resigned,  although  the}-  came  in  again  on  the 
failure  of  Disraeli  to  form  a  Government. 

All  my  friends  assured  me  that  I  had  made  an  irre- 
concilable enemy  of  our  great  Liberal  chief,  who  largely 
attributed  his  defeat  to  my  speech.  How  unjust  this  was 
to  his  generosity  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  in  the  autumn 
of  that  year  he  asked  me  to  join  his  Government  as  Post- 


2l8  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

master-General.  It  is  true  that,  in  the  interview  preceding 
my  acceptance,  he  intimated  a  doubt  as  to  whether  I  could 
run  in  harness,  as  I  was  apt  to  form  strong  views  of  my 
own.  This  was  the  only  allusion  he  ever  made  to  my  two 
years  of  opposition  to  his  University  measures  for  Ireland. 

On  accepting  the  office  of  Postmaster-General,  I  went  to 
Windsor  with  Sir  W.  Harcourt,  Sir  Henry  James,  and 
others,  to  kiss  hands  on  appointment,  and  to  be  sworn  a 
Privy  Councillor.  The  Queen  was  very  gracious  on  this 
occasion.  After  I  had  taken  the  oath  as  Privy  Councillor, 
she  made  a  remark  showing  how  constantly  the  memory 
of  the  Prince  Consort  is  in  her  thoughts.  It  was,  "  How 
much  he  would  have  been  pleased  !  "  No  need  to  tell  me 
who  he  was.  The  Queen  commanded  me  to  return  on  a 
visit,  and  to  dine  with  her  that  evening. 

The  administration  of  the  Post  Office  was  of  a  character 
entirely  to  my  liking,  and  I  had  been  just  sufficiently  long 
in  the  saddle  to  feel  that  I  could  propose  some  important 
reforms,  when,  early  in  1874,  without  the  least  notice, 
Parliament  was  dissolved,  and  Gladstone's  Government 
came  to  an  end,  because  the  country  returned  a  Conser- 
vative Parliament. 

I  now  hoped  for  some  leisure,  as  the  Tories  were  in 
power.  But  the  month  after  the  meeting  of  the  new 
Parliament  an  appeal  was  made  to  me  by  Mr  Disraeli's 
Government.  The  increasing  cost  and  decreasing  efficiency 
of  the  Civil  Service  of  the  country  were  causing  consider- 
able anxiety.  The  Government  had  resolved  upon  issuing 
a  Commission  to  consider  whether  it  should  be  reorganised 
on  a  better  system,  and  determined,  although  I  was  in 
opposition  to  them,  to  ask  me  to  preside  over  the  inquiry. 
I  was  naturally  unwilling  to  undertake  such  heavy  work, 
but  the  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  Sir  Stafford  North- 
cote,  represented  that  he  had  aided  the  Liberal  Govern- 
ment by  going  to  America  on  the  Alabama  claims,  and  the 
Conservatives  thought  that  this  established  a  title  for 
Liberal  aid.  This  was  a  fair  way  of  putting  the  case,  so  I 
consented.  The  inquiry  was  a  wide  one,  and  likely  to  be 
prolonged.     The  subjects  referred  were  : — 


IN   PARLIAMENT.  2ig 

i.  The  method  of  selecting  Civil  Servants  in  the  first 
instance. 

2.  The  principles  upon  which  men  should  be  transferred 

from  office  to  office,  especially  when  redundant. 

3.  The  possibility  of  grading  the  Civil  Service,  as  a 

whole,  so  as  to  obviate  the  inconveniences 
which  result  from  the  difference  of  pay  in 
different  departments. 

4.  The   system   of  employing  writers  for  duties  of  a 

subordinate  or  temporary  character. 

The  Commission  was  dated  April  25th,  1874,  and  our 
first  Report  was  issued  in  January,  1875.  ^  established  a 
completely  new  system,  which  since  then  has  received  the 
official  title  of  the  "  Playfair  Scheme."  This  title  implies 
too  much  personality  to  the  President.  The  Commission 
consisted  of  the  most  eminent  permanent  officers  of  the 
Civil  Service — Sir  R.  Stephenson,  Sir  Francis  Sandford,  Sir 
T.  Farrer,  The  Hon.  C.  Fremantle,  Sir  R.  Hamilton,  Mr 
Walrond,  Mr  Joyce,  and  Lord  Claud  Hamilton.  The 
essence  of  the  "  Playfair  Scheme  "  was  to  divide  the  Civil 
Service  into  two  branches,  one  of  which  was  to  consist  of 
men  who  passed  a  high  competitive  examination  for  the 
purpose  of  doing  work  requiring  intellectual  ability,  and 
the  other  of  mere  clerks  who  could  do  routine  work  of  an 
inferior  order.  In  both  divisions,  however,  merit,  and  not 
mere  seniority,  was  to  be  the  condition  of  promotion. 
The  scheme  was  received  with  much  hostile  criticism, 
which  fell  naturally  on  the  supposed  author,  and  gave  to 
me  a  large  amount  of  temporary  unpopularity.  As  its 
effect  was  a  large  economy  in  the  estimates,  it  gradually 
became  popular.  But  the  writers  and  inferior  clerks  never 
ceased  to  attack  it,  and  in  this  year  (1886)  a  new  Royal 
Commission  was  appointed  to  report  upon  its  working. 
The  Government  asked  me  to  act  upon  this  Commission, 
but  I  declined,  as  I  am  at  the  present  moment  a  member  of 
three  other  Commissions,  which  I  thought  quite  sufficient 
to  engage  my  attention.  Whether  the  "Playfair  Scheme" 
will  survive  this  ordeal  I  do  not  vet  know. 


220  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

In  the  year  1874  I  made  an  effort  to  obtain  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  Minister  of  Education  instead  of  the  anomalous 
system  of  having  education  managed  by  a  Committee  of 
the  Privy  Council.  But,  though  I  was  strongly  supported 
by  Mr  Forster,  the  Government  of  Mr  Disraeli  opposed 
the  motion  and  defeated  it.  Disraeli  had  formerly  intro- 
duced a  Bill  for  the  same  object,  but  he  had  changed  his 
mind.  In  the  autumn  of  this  year  I  acted  as  president  of 
the  section  on  Public  Health  at  the  meeting  of  the  Social 
Science  Association  at  Glasgow.  My  address  on  this 
occasion  was  one  of  the  most  successful  of  my  many 
public  addresses,  if  I  may  judge  from  the  general  attention 
which  it  received  from  the  Press. 

In  the  years  1875  and  1876,  there  was  not  much  to  which 
I  need  allude  in  Parliamentary  work,  although  in  both  of 
them  subjects  of  educational  reform  were  often  before  the 
House.  I  had  introduced  a  Bill  to  regulate  experiments 
on  living  animals,  so  that  no  operation  involving  pain 
should  be  made  without  an  anaesthetic.  The  Government 
referred  my  Bill  to  a  Royal  Commission,  which  made  some 
slight  modifications  in  it,  and  it  was  afterwards  brought  in 
and  passed  as  a  Government  measure.  Societies  were 
established  for  the  total  abolition  of  vivisection,  and  im- 
mense efforts  were  made  to  secure  the  repeal  of  this  Act. 
Hitherto  these  efforts  have  fortunately  failed.  At  last,  on 
the  4th  April,  1883,  a  determined  effort  was  made  to  repeal 
the  Act  which  I  had  taken  so  much  pains  to  carry.  I  was 
successful  in  resisting  this  attempt,  and  ever  since  have 
been  the  bete  noire  of  anti-vivisectionists.  The  concluding 
passage  of  my  speech  will  show  its  general  tenor  : — 

"  Much  of  the  out-of-door  agitation  against  this  Act  has  been  got 
up  in  a  spirit  of  unthinking  and  aggressive  ignorance.  I  assert  that 
physiologists  are  actuated  by  a  higher  humanity  than  that  of  the 
opponents  of  vivisection.  The  aim  of  the  former  is  to  mitigate  the 
sufferings  of  men  and  animals  by  studying  the  processes  of  life  and 
of  disease.  The  only  way  in  which  they  can  prosecute  this  aim  is  to 
experiment  on  living  beings,  not  on  dead  corpses.  This  Bill  is  to 
repeal  an  Act  under  which  the  official  inspectors  tell  us  that  scarcely 
ten  animals  in  the  year  suffer  sensible  pain  ;  but  it  takes  no  account 
whatever  of  the  torture  or  cruelty  perpetrated  on  animals  either  for 


IN   PARLIAMENT.  22  J 

domestic  purposes,  for  agricultural  uses,  for  pleasures  as  in  hunting 
or  fishing,  or  even  that  inflicted  out  of  the  most  wanton  and  pur- 
poseless malignity.  [Mr  Reid :  That  is  a  crime  already.]  It  is  not 
a  crime  already,  because  Martin's  Act,  to  which  the  hon.  member 
refers,  applies  only  to  domestic  animals,  while  all  other  animals  are 
liable  to  torture.  It  would  be  a  complete  defence  under  this  Bill  to  say 
that  the  torture  of  a  rabbit  or  a  rat  was  made  out  of  malignity,  with- 
out any  reference  to  the  promotion  of  physiology,  medicine,  or 
science.  But  as  soon  as  the  motive  is  high  and  noble,  and  has  for 
its  purpose  the  relief  of  the  ills  of  suffering  humanity,  you  purpose  to 
brand  those  who  experiment  as  criminals." 

The  anti-vivisectionists  have  not  again  attacked  the 
regulating  Act,  and  in  their  annual  meetings  are  now 
content  to  attack  me.  This  is  a  small  matter  if  they  do 
not  succeed  in  retarding  the  progress  of  science.  No  legis- 
lation, however  mischievous,  can  possibly  ultimately  stop 
its  progress.  Even  the  burning  of  the  Alexandrian 
Library  did  not  stop  the  growth  of  literature. 

In  the  year  1876  a  Royal  Commission  was  issued  to 
recommend  reforms  in  the  Scotch  Universities.  Huxley 
the  biologist,  Froude  the  historian,  and  I,  were  sent  down 
from  London  to  act  upon  it.  Our  report  seemed  to  be  too 
"  thorough "  for  adoption,  for  little  reform  has  yet  taken 
place.  We  recommended  a  free  selection  of  subjects  as 
alternative  courses  for  granting  degrees  in  arts  and  science. 
We  recollected  Shakespeare's  educational  formula  : — 

"  No  profit  grows  where  is  no  pleasure  ta'en  ; 
In  brief,  sir,  study  what  you  most  affect." 

Oxford  and  Cambridge,  which  used  to  be  behind  the 
Scotch  Universities  in  this  respect,  are  now  in  advance 
of  them.  Our  Commission  was  only  a  recommendatory 
one,  but  an  Executive  Commission  was  formed  by  an 
Act  in  1889,  and  will  no  doubt  give  effect  to  our 
labours. 

During  the  early  years  of  his  Parliamentary  career, 
Playfair's  time  was  still  given  very  largely  to  the  affairs  of 
his  University,  and  he  lost  no  opportunity  of  advancing  its 
interests  in  different  directions,     Amongst  other  works  in 


222  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

the  accomplishment  of  which  he  had  a  share,  was  the 
foundation  of  the  Chair  of  Geology  in  the  University,  by 
the  liberality  of  Sir  Roderick  Murchison. 

Folkestone, 
Sir  Roderick  Murchison  to  Play  fair.        November  27th,  1870. 

My  dear  Playfair, — Your  letter  of  the  24th  inst., 
anent  the  desideratum  of  a  Geological  Chair  in  the 
University  of  Edinburgh,  came  to  me  at  the  same  moment 
as  one  from  Geikie  on  the  same  subject,  which  I  enclose. 
The  reasons  you  both  employ  are  so  precisely  what  I  feel 
myself  (and  have  felt  for  a  long  time),  that  I  have  resolved 
to  do  now  what  would  have  come  forth  on  my  death,  as 
settled  by  my  will,  in  which  I  leave  /6,ooo  to  the 
University  of  Edinburgh  to  found,  or  aid  in  founding,  a 
Geological  Chair,  certain  conditions  being  complied  with. 
In  the  present  state  of  science,  it  is  quite  absurd  to  unite 
geology  with  natural  history  in  the  same  professorship.  I 
confess  that  it  would  be  highly  gratifying  to  me  to  have 
my  name  connected  with  this  new  Chair  (as  Geikie  puts 
it)  ;  for  I  do  not  think — without  vanity — that  any  living 
man  has  worked  harder  in  developing  the  true  geological 
structure  of  Scotland  than  myself.  Geikie  ought  certainly 
to  be  the  first  professor  to  succeed  Jameson.  As  the  M.P. 
for  Edinburgh,  you  must  induce  the  Government  to  help, 
which,  as  I  understand  you,  they  are  ready  to  do.  I  am 
here  getting  braced  up  for  the  Liverpool  meeting,  and 
writing  out  my  address  to  the  Geological  section. 

Ever  yours  sincerely, 

Roderick  Murchison. 

Playfair  has  mentioned  in  the  preceding  chapter  of  his 
Reminiscences  his  early  Parliamentary  connection  with 
Post  Office  reform.  He  was,  in  fact,  the  leader  in  the 
movement  for  the  introduction  of  the  halfpenny  post-card 
into  this  country. 


IN   PARLIAMENT.  22$ 

Lord  Hartington  to  Play/air.       PosT  Office,  May  26th,  1870. 

My  dear  Sir, — I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  inform  you 
that  the  Government  have  decided  to  introduce  a  half- 
penny card  postage,  as  advocated  by  you  and  a  deputation 
of  Members  of  Parliament  with  whom  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  an  interview  some  time  ago.  I  had  intended  to  announce 
this  yesterday  in  introducing  the  Post  Office  Bill,  but  it 
was  too  late  for  me  to  be  able  to  make  any  statement.  I 
should  be  much  obliged  to  you  if  you  would,  by  putting  a 
question  to  me  either  to-day  or  to-morrow,  enable  me  to 
inform  the  House  of  our  intention. 

Yours  faithfully, 

Hartington. 

Reference  was  made  by  Playfair  in  his  Reminiscences  to 
his  pamphlet  published  under  the  title  of  'Teaching 
Universities  and  Examining  Boards.'  Its  publication 
brought  him  many  expressions  of  gratitude  and  goodwill 
from  different  quarters.  Only  two  of  them  need  be 
quoted. 

Dublin, 

The  Hon.  David  Plunket  to  Playfair.         February  1st,  1872. 

My  dear  Playfair, — Many  thanks  for  the  copy  of 
your  address  which  you  were  good  enough  to  send  to  me. 
I  have  read  it  with  the  greatest  interest.  I  think  you  have 
completely  demolished  Lowe's  Halifax  speech,  so  far  as  it 
dealt  with  the  Universities  question  ;  and  have,  besides, 
made  a  case  on  the  other  side  that  he,  and  those  who 
would  gladly  take  his  views,  for  the  present  will  find  it 
hard  to  dispose  of.  Allow  me  to  thank  you  warmly,  on 
behalf  of  those  whom  I  represent,  for  the  yeoman  service 
you  have  done  for  our  cause.  There  is  an  abstract  of  your 
address  in  to-day's  '  Daily  Express,'  our  chief  Dublin 
Conservative  newspaper,  and  I  doubt  not  that  it  will 
appear  in  some  of  the  others  later  ;  but,  unfortunately, 
Lady  Spencer  held  her  first  drawing-room  last  night,  and 
so  the  space  of  our  Dublin  local  press  was  very  much 


224  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

occupied  with  lists  of  ladies  who  were  presented,  and  of 
the  dresses  they  wore.  So  there  was  no  room  for  more 
weighty  matters. 

Yours  very  truly, 

D.  Plunket. 

Edinburgh, 
Professor  Blackie  to  Play/air.  February  3rd,  1870. 

My  dear  M.P., — I  return  you  my  most  sincere  thanks 
for  your  lecture,  which  shall  be  treasured  up  amongst  my 
cherished  valuables.  The  French  testimonies  are  of  the 
utmost  consequence  in  the  question,  and  were  new  to  me. 
Bob  Lowe  is  a  "  Philister,"  and  must  be  suppressed,  only  in 
a  polite  way,  as  you  did.  Bain,  Grote  and  Co.  taught  a  very 
low  moral  philosophy,  such  as  may  suit  a  nation  of  shop- 
keepers, the  modern  Carthaginians  that  can  never  produce 
any  noble  result.  A  man  ought  to  feel  truth  like  a  well  of 
living  waters  growing  up  out  of  his  soul,  not  merely  gather 
it  with  his  fingers.  I  shall  send  you  my  manifesto  in  a  few 
days.  I  intend  to  send  copies  to  some  of  our  most  notable 
M.P.'s,  though  I  have  no  doubt  the  majority  of  them  are 
Carthaginians,  believing  mainly  in  supply  and  demand.  I 
lecture  in  London  on  Friday  the  26th,  at  Albemarle  Street, 
on  which  occasion  I  hope  to  see  you  and  other  friends. 

Ever  yours, 

John  S.  Blackie. 

Play  fair's  appointment  as  Postmaster-General  in  1873 
came  as  a  surprise  to  himself  as  well  as  to  his  friends. 
After  less  than  five  years  of  Parliamentary  life  he  was  pro- 
moted to  one  of  the  greatest  offices  in  the  Ministry  outside 
the  limits  of  the  Cabinet.  But  for  the  unfortunate  break 
which  occurred  in  his  official  life  by  the  defeat  of  Mr 
Gladstone's  Government  less  than  three  months  after  he 
received  his  appointment,  it  is  probable  that  Playfair  would 
have  advanced  steadily  to  a  front  rank  in  political  life.  It 
was  in  this  manner  that  he  had  advanced  in  every  other 
branch  of  labour  that  he  had  followed.     But  his  loss  of 


THE    RIGHT    HON.    SIR    LYON    PLAYFAIR. 

(1888) 


IN   PARLIAMENT.  225 

office  almost  before  he  had  taken  full  possession  of  his 
post  gave  to  this  first  appointment  of  his  something  of  the 
character  of  a  false  start.  His  political  career,  which  had 
been  begun  under  auspices  so  favourable,  was  not  destined 
to  enjoy  the  brilliant  success  which  had  attended  his 
labours  in  other  fields.  For  this  fact  different  reasons 
may  be  alleged.  Undoubtedly,  his  detachment  from 
party  politics  had  something  to  do  with  his  failure  to 
secure  that  recognition  in  Parliament  which  he  had  ob- 
tained outside.  Something,  too,  must  be  attributed  to 
the  circumstances  which  attended  his  term  of  office 
as  Chairman  of  Committees — an  episode  in  his  career 
which  will  be  fully  dealt  with  later  on.  But  the  first 
check,  and,  I  believe,  the  most  serious,  to  his  Parliamen- 
tary advancement,  was  the  fact  that,  having  secured,  at 
an  unusually  early  date  in  his  life  as  a  Member  of  the 
House  of  Commons,  one  of  the  most  important  posts  in 
the  Administration,  he  was,  through  no  fault  of  his  own, 
removed  from  that  office  almost  immediately  after  he  had 
obtained  it.  Nevertheless,  short  as  was  his  tenure  of  office 
as  Postmaster-General,  it  enabled  him  to  win  the  con- 
fidence of  the  eminent  public  servants  with  whom  he 
was  brought  in  contact  at  St.  Martin's-le-Grand. 

In  the  early  seventies  one  of  the  subjects  which  created 
the  greatest  interest  in  the  public  mind  was  the  trial  of  the 
famous  cause  raised  by  the  fraudulent  "  Sir  Roger 
Tichborne "  against  the  rightful  owner  of  the  Tichborne 
estates.  The  question  of  the  identity  of  the  Claimant  was 
one  that,  for  a  season,  excited  greater  interest  in  all  classes 
of  society  than  any  problem  in  politics.  The  nation  was 
for  a  time  ranged  into  the  friends  and  the  opponents  of  the 
ingenious  knave  who  had  so  successfully  imposed  him- 
self upon  many  honest  persons,  and  the  exposure  of  whose 
fraudulent  claims  was  the  greatest  triumph  won  by  the 
late  Lord  Coleridge  during  his  brilliant  career  at  the  bar. 

p 


226  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Science  came  to  the  aid  of  truth  and  justice  in  this  as  it  has 
done  in  many  more  important  matters  ;  and  Playfair,  as  a 
man  of  science,  made  a  suggestion  to  Sir  John  Coleridge 
which  might  have  been  of  use  if  the  other  evidence  against 
the  pretensions  of  the  Claimant  had  not  been  so  over- 
whelming. This  was  in  respect  to  a  slight  malformation 
of  the  ear  of  the  genuine  Roger  Tichborne,  the  lobe  of  that 
organ  having  been  attached  to  his  head  instead  of  being 
pendant  as  in  most  cases. 

Ottery  St.  Mary, 

Sir  J.  D.  Coleridge  to  Playfair.  At<susi  6ih>  l87i- 

My  dear  Dr  Playfair, — Many  thanks  for  your 
kind  and  interesting  letter.  It  is  not  the  first  I  have 
heard  of  this  curious  fact.  Indeed,  some  gentleman,  whose 
name  I  cannot  read,  and  who  has  not  dated  his  letter,  so 
that  no  doubt  he  thinks  me  a  most  uncourteous  man  for 
not  answering,  has  sent  me  a  couple  of  the  photographs, 
with  the  measurements,  and  most  careful  remarks  on  this 
very  point.  I  will  not  forget  it,  you  may  depend  upon  it ; 
and  I  will  ask  you  some  day  to  give  me  Professor  Lay- 
cock's  address,  that,  if  necessary,  we  might  call  him.  .  .  . 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

J.  D.  Coleridge. 

There  have  been  few  episodes  of  greater  interest  in  the 
history  of  the  Liberal  party  than  the  election  of  a  successor 
to  Mr  Gladstone  as  leader  in  1875.  Playfair  has  briefly 
related  the  facts  of  the  case,  and  has  indicated  with  equal 
terseness  the  part  which  he  played  in  connection  with  the 
crisis.  In  this,  as  in  many  other  cases,  the  simple  and 
direct  language  of  his  Reminiscences  may  suggest  to  those 
who  are  ignorant  of  the  facts  an  assumption  on  his  part  of 
greater  activity  and  a  more  potent  influence  than  he  really 
possessed.  Xo  idea  could  possibly  be  more  unjust  to 
Playfair.  The  correspondence  in  his  biographer's  posses- 
sion,  and   knowledge  acquired  from  other  quarters,  con- 


IN   PARLIAMENT.  22f 

clusively  establish  the  fact  that  when  Playfair — writing,  be 
it  remembered,  for  his  family  rather  than  for  the  public — 
states  in  his  Reminiscences  that  he  took  a  certain  part  in 
some  public  transaction,  he  invariably  understates  rather 
than  overstates  the  share  which  he  had  in  it.  The 
question  of  the  election  of  Mr  Gladstone's  successor  in 
1875  is  a  case  in  point,  and  the  interest  which  attaches  to 
that  curious  episode  in  the  history  of  the  Liberal  party 
justifies  an  amplification  of  the  story  that  Playfair  has  told 
so  briefly.  From  the  biographer's  point  of  view  such  an 
amplification  is  specially  justifiable,  because  it  throws  light 
upon  the  position  which  Playfair  had  secured  in  the  inner 
councils  of  his  party,  and  shows  that  here,  as  elsewhere,  he 
had  become  a  moving  spirit  "behind  the  scenes." 

Mr  Gladstone's  announcement  of  his  determination  to 
retire  from  the  leadership,  and  from  active  participation  in 
political  life,  at  once  let  loose  many  passions  which  had 
been  simmering  beneath  the  surface  of  the  party.  By 
common  consent,  the  man  who,  next  to  Mr  Gladstone, 
had  shown  the  greatest  capacity  for  leadership  among  the 
occupants  of  the  front  bench  in  the  House  of  Commons 
was  Mr  Forster.  But  the  very  success  which  Mr  Forster 
had  secured  as  an  administrator  and  statesman  had  raised 
up  against  him  powerful  enemies  on  his  own  side  of  the 
House.  His  Education  Act,  which  was,  after  all,  the 
greatest  of  all  the  measures  passed  by  the  Government  of 
1868,  had  aroused  against  him  the  passionate  anger  of  a 
large  section  of  the  Nonconformists  and  of  the  members 
of  the  well-known  Birmingham  Education  League.  He 
had  been  sneered  at  as  a  trimmer ;  he  had  even  been 
denounced  as  a  traitor.  To  those  who  really  knew 
Forster  these  charges  seemed  to  be  too  contemptible  to 
call  for  refutation.  No  one  who  had  been  brought  into 
close  contact  with  him  had  failed  to  recognise  that  honesty 
of  purpose  and  strength  of  conviction  which  won  for  him 


228  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

the  admiration  of  Play  fair.  But  jealousy  and  calumny 
are,  unfortunately,  among  the  most  formidable  of  all  the 
weapons  used  in  political  warfare,  and  Forster  had  exposed 
himself  to  both.  Playfair,  like  most  men  who  were  not 
moved  by  the  passions  of  a  clique,  recognised  in  Forster 
the  proper  successor  to  Mr  Gladstone.  But  no  sooner  was 
the  name  of  the  author  of  the  Education  Act  mentioned  in 
this  connection  than  a  series  of  desperate  intrigues  were 
set  on  foot  against  him.  The  representatives  of  the 
Birmingham  League,  having  no  one  in  their  own  party 
whom  they  could  set  up  in  opposition  to  Forster,  were 
shrewd  enough  to  nominate  a  man  who  was  not  in  special 
sympathy  with  their  views,  and  who,  in  addition  to  high 
rank,  great  social  influence,  and  more  than  considerable 
abilities,  possessed  the  valuable  qualification  of  being 
positively  obnoxious  to  no  section  in  the  party.  Lord 
Hartington  himself,  it  need  scarcely  be  said,  had  no  share 
in  the  intrigues  which  were  carried  on  against  Forster. 
He  was  as  innocent  as  Forster  himself  of  seeking  to 
obtain  a  post  which,  if  one  of  high  honour,  was  at  the 
same  time  one  of  great  difficulty.  But  those  who 
supported  him  were  ardent  and  not  over-scrupulous,  and 
they  were  inspired  by  many  different  motives.  If  some  of 
them  desired  Lord  Hartington  rather  than  Mr  Forster 
because  they  honestly  believed  that  the  latter  was  not 
sound  in  his  Liberalism,  there  were  others  who  saw  in 
Lord  Hartington  one  conspicuous  merit.  This  was  the 
fact  that  he  was  the  heir  to  a  peerage,  and  that  conse- 
quently in  the  course  of  nature  he  must  before  very  long 
be  removed  to  the  House  of  Lords,  thus  leaving  the 
leadership  in  the  Commons  open  to  some  younger  man, 
for  whom  the  prize  was  not  yet  ripe.  The  result  was  that, 
although  at  the  beginning  of  the  struggle  Lord  Harting- 
ton's  supporters  were  in  a  distinct  minority,  as  time  passed 
they  gathered  recruits,  and  it  became  increasingly  apparent 


IN   PARLIAMENT.  229 

that  Forster's  election  might  lead  to  a  dangerous  schism 
in  the  party.  With  this  preamble,  I  may  leave  the 
correspondence  which  Playfair  received  to  speak  for  itself. 
It  is,  perhaps,  superfluous  to  remind  the  reader  that  Lord 
Granville,  by  Mr  Gladstone's  retirement,  had  become  the 
leader  of  the  party  as  a  whole. 

Savernake  Forest,  Marlborough, 

Earl  Granville  to  Playfair.  January  16th,  1875. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  have  received  your  letter  of 
the  15th.  Pray  assure  Mr  Fawcett,  and  the  other  inde- 
pendent members  to  whom  you  allude,  that  I  am  aware  of 
no  intention  or  wish  to  nominate  any  leader  of  the  House 
of  Commons  without  consultation  of  the  whole  body  of 
the  Liberal  party. 

The  efforts  of  the  meeting  held  at  my  house  on  the  14th 
were  concentrated  on  the  attempt  to  prevent  Gladstone's 
resignation,  and  no  allusion  was  made  to  the  future, 
farther  than  a  general  agreement  to  the  effect  that,  if  the 
decision  was  final,  it  was  better  to  publish  it  without  delay, 
in  order  to  give  the  Liberal  party  time  to  consider  their 
position  before  the  meeting  of  Parliament. 

I  am  not  authorised  to  speak  for  Lord  Hartington,  but 
I  know  no  one  more  impressed  with  the  difficulty  of  any 
one  taking  Mr  Gladstone's  place.  I  cannot  answer  for  his 
acceptance  if  the  choice  were  made  of  him,  but  I  am 
certain  that  he  would  refuse  unless  the  proposal  was  made 
with  the  hearty  concurrence  of  the  party. 

I  cannot  take  upon  myself  to  summon  a  meeting,  but  I 
have  written  to  Adam  (the  chief  Liberal  Whip)  to  say  that 
I  presume  if  he  receives  a  requisition  to  that  effect  from  a 
few  of  the  leading  independent  members  he  will  act  upon  it. 

Yours  sincerely, 

Granville. 

P.S.  Confidential. — I  suppose  that  what  Fawcett  is 
afraid  of  is  rather  Granby,  Hemes,  and  Dizzy  than  G. 
Bentinck  and  Dizzy.     For  George  Bentinck,  with  all  his 


230  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

inferiority  in  ability,  had  a  will  of  iron.  I  believe  that  I 
have  given  a  perfectly  accurate  statement  of  Hartington's 
feelings,  and  that  he  would  require  a  full  assurance,  not 
only  of  the  support  of  his  late  colleagues  in  and  out  of  the 
Cabinet,  but  of  such  leading  and  honourable  men  as 
Fawcett,  to  induce  him  to  undertake  a  task  the  inherent 

difficulty  of  which  will  be  immensely  increased  by 's 

restless  ambition.  Pray  show  Adam  our  correspondence. 
I  have  written  shortly  to  him. 

12,  Carlton  House  Terrace, 

Lord  Wolverlon1  to  Play/air.  January  18th,  1875. 

Dear  Playfair, — Thanks  for  the  enclosed.  If  Adam 
calls  the  meeting,  which  I  think  with  Granville  he  should 
do  if  he  has  a  requisition,  no  time  should  be  lost,  and  I 
think  it  should  not  be  later  than  the  Wednesday  in  the 
week  after  next.  The  notice  of  the  meeting  will  help  to 
the  solution  of  the  question  as  to  who  is  "  the  favourite." 
It  seems  very  dark  now,  and  difficult  for  anyone  to  form 
an  accurate  opinion.  I  hardly  think  Lord  Granville  could 
act  as  chairman.  Could  Bright  ?  I  think  he  might  if  he 
would  undertake  it. 

As  a  matter  of  fact  the  meeting  was  called  by  Mr  Adam 

in  the  manner  suggested  by  Lord  Granville,  and  Mr  Bright 

presided  over  it. 

(Confidential.) 

Bowood,  Calne,  Wilts., 
Earl  Granville  to  Playfair.  January  igth,  1875. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  have  received  your  two  notes 
of  yesterday.  I  shall  consider  the  second  as  absolutely 
personal  and  confidential.  Your  letter  of  Friday  had 
made  me  think  you  were  in  favour  of  Hartington.  I  have 
perfect  confidence  in  both  him  and  Forster  ;  but  our  late 
chief  would,  I  think,  be  more  cordial  in  support  of  the 
former,  which  is  an  element  not  to  be  put  out  of  sight, 
as  also  the  acquiescence   of  all  his  Cabinet  colleagues  in 

1  Lord  Wolverton,  as  Mr  Glyn,  had  been  Mr  Adam's  predecessor  as  chief 
Liberal  Whip. 


IN   PARLIAMENT.  23 1 

Hartington  last  year.     But  at  that  time  Forster  was  sup- 
posed to  be  intolerable  to  the  Nonconformists.    .  .  . 

Yours,  G. 

Brookside,  Cambridge, 
Mr  Fawcett  to  Play/air.  January  2.0th,  1875. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  think  the  general  tone  of  the 
Press  is  very  encouraging,  and  it  is  certainly  very  hopeful 
that  '  The  Times '  has  not  yet  pronounced  in  favour  of 
Hartington.  I  believe  the  Nonconformists  are  to  have  a 
conference  at  Crewe  to-day,  and  the  Birmingham  League,  I 
see,  meets  to-morrow  to  consider  the  leadership.  I  expect 
they  will  praise  Gladstone  at  Forster's  expense,  but  cer- 
tainly all  Forster's  colleagues  in  the  Cabinet  were  responsi- 
ble with  him  for  the  parts  of  the  Education  Act  which  gave 
offence  to  the  Nonconformists.  If  they  put  forward  a 
claim  to  have  a  leader  who  is  in  favour  of  Disestablishment, 
it  may  be  fairly  replied  that  only  a  minority  of  the  Liberal 
party  in  the  House — not  more  than  one-third — supports 
Disestablishment,  and,  until  a  majority  of  the  party 
supports  it,  it  is  unreasonable  to  expect  the  leader  to  do  so. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  great  majority  of  the  party  voted 
last  session  in  favour  of  the  extension  of  County  Franchise, 
and  therefore  we  may  fairly  claim  that  we  should  have  a 
leader  who  will  go  with  the  majority  on  this  question. 
Hartington,  you  will  remember,  walked  out  of  the  House, 
whereas  Forster  not  only  voted  but  spoke  in  favour  of 
Trevelyan's  Bill.  It  will,  of  course,  be  very  important  to 
arrange  beforehand  that  at  the  meeting  Forster  should  be 
proposed  by  some  very  influential  member  of  the  party. 
My  sole  motive  in  saying  last  week  that,  if  no  one  else 
proposed  him,  I  would,  was  that  I  thought  it  would  show 

we  were  in  earnest.  ...         v  .     , 

\  ours  very  truly, 

Henry  Fawcett. 

Same  to  the  same.  Cambridge,  January  2yd,  1875. 

My  dear  Playfair,— Many  thanks  for  your  letter. 
From  all  that  I  hear,  and  I  have  made  very  careful 
inquiries,  I  take  a  much  more   hopeful  view  of  Forster's 


232  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

chances  than  you  do.  The  hostile  attitude  of  the  Non- 
conformists is  already  beginning  to  produce  a  strong 
reaction  in  his  favour,  and  I  believe  this  feeling  will 
grow.  Of  one  thing  I  feel  certain,  that  nothing  that 
could  possibly  happen  would  be  so  disastrous  to  the 
future  of  the  party  as  if  Forster  were  to  withdraw  before 
a  general  meeting  has  been  summoned.  It  would  create 
an  impression  which  nothing  could  remove  that  he  had 
been  induced  to  withdraw  under  influential  pressure,  and 
under  these  circumstances  the  choice,  on  whomsoever 
it  might  fall,  would  at  once  be  strongly  and  openly  re- 
pudiated. Nothing  that  could  be  done  would  so  effectually 
break  up  the  party.  I  am  extremely  obliged  to  you  for 
writing  to  me. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Henry  Fawcett. 

Althorp,  Northampton, 

Earl  Granville  to  Playfair.  January  25th,  1875. 

My  dear  Playfair, — Many  thanks.  Can  you  lunch 
at  two  at  Carlton  Terrace  on  Saturday  ?  We  must  devise 
something  to  save  the  party  from  the  depth  of  ridicule 
■which  squabbling  debating  society  speeches  on  Wednesday 
may  produce. 

Yours,  G. 

As  Playfair  has  already  stated,  something  was  devised  at 
this  Saturday  luncheon.  It  was  recognised,  even  by  those 
who  had  been  entirely  favourable  to  Mr  Forster's  nomina- 
tion for  the  leadership,  that  if  his  candidature  were  persisted 
in  there  would  be  a  disastrous  "  split  "  in  the  party,  and  to 
Playfair — who  was  Forster's  warm  personal  friend  and 
admirer — was  entrusted  the  task  of  conveying  this  opinion 
to  that  eminent  man.  Forster,  as  has  already  been  told 
elsewhere,  when  he  saw  that  the  interests  of  his  party 
seemed  to  demand  the  sacrifice  of  his  candidature,  did  not 
for  a  moment  hesitate  to  adopt  the  view  which  Playfair 
had  put  before  him.     He  called  on  Lord  Granville,  and,  to 


IN   PARLIAMENT.  233 

use  his  own  words,  "  came  away  with  the  leadership  given 
up."  By  his  generous  self-sacrifice  he  thus  prevented  his 
party  from  falling  into  that  " depth  of  ridicule"  which 
Lord  Granville  anticipated  and  deplored.  When  the 
meeting  was  held,  under  the  presidency  of  Mr  Bright, 
Lord  Hartington's  was  the  only  name  submitted  to  it, 
and  he  received  that  appointment  of  Leader  of  the 
Opposition  in  the  House  of  Commons  which  he  con- 
tinued to  hold  until,  barely  five  years  afterwards,  Mr 
Gladstone  was  summoned  back  to  power  and  resumed  his 
old  position.  Most  of  this  story  is  already  known  to  the 
world ;  that  portion  of  it  which  will  be  new  to  all  my 
readers  is  the  part  that  Playfair  had  in  preventing  a 
disastrous  Liberal  schism. 


CHAPTER    X. 

PARLIAMENTARY     WORK. 

Playfair's  Domestic  Affections— Death  of  his  Second  Wife.  Autobio- 
graphy: The  Dundonald  Case:  The  Victory  won  at  Last:  A 
Visit  to  the  States:  Emerson  and  Longfellow  :  Chicago:  A  "  Typical 
American  "  from  Paisley  :  Adopting  a  Young  Lady  :  At  Washington: 
A  Visit  to  the  Lunatic  Asylum :  Attacking  the  Indian  Salt  Tax : 
Presiding  over  the  Manchester  Water  Supply  Committee  :  The  Inter- 
national Exhibition  of  1S78:  Another  Visit  to  America:  Reception 
at  Montreal  :  Curious  Experiences  in  a  Rough  District  :  Dining 
with  the  Canadian  Cabinet  :  A  Talk  with  Lord  Dufferin.  Playfair's 
Relations  with  the  United  States — His  Letters  from  America  and 
elsewhere — His  Correspondence  with  Miss  Russell  and  her  Family 
prior  to  His  Marriage — His  Social  Charm — His  Passion  for  Public 
Work. 

Very  little  has  been  said  of  Playfair's  domestic  life  since 
his  marriage  in  1846  to  Miss  Oakes.  In  his  chapters  of 
autobiography  he  confines  himself  almost  entirely  to  those 
public  affairs  in  which  he  was  so  deeply  engaged,  and  the 
reader  is  left  almost  in  the  dark  on  the  subject  of  his 
personal  and  family  history.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  no  man 
was  more  dependent  for  his  happiness  upon  his  personal 
surroundings  and  social  environment  than  Playfair.  But 
he  had  to  some  extent  the  reticence  of  his  race,  and 
during  the  period  of  intense  and  unremitting  labour,  which 
extended  from  his  youth  until  he  had  passed  his  sixtieth 
year,  his  family  life  was  kept  strictly  apart  from  public 
affairs.  His  love  for  those  of  his  own  household  was  deep 
and  tender ;  and  his  sympathy  with  his  children  was 
unfailing.  But  they  had  to  pay  the  penalty  of  being  the 
children  of  a  public  man,  the  demands  upon  whose  time 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  235 

were  so  great  that  he  could  not  enjoy  the  unfettered 
domestic  leisure  which  falls  to  the  lot  of  those  who  are  not 
absorbed  in  unselfish  labours  for  the  general  good.  In 
later  years,  though  Playfair's  work  did  not  diminish  as  it 
should  have  done  in  consideration  of  his  age,  he  was  able 
by  changed  circumstances  to  combine  devotion  to  duty 
with  those  domestic  pleasures  which  he  relished  so  keenly. 
His  first  wife,  Margaret  Eliza  Oakes,  had  died  in  1855. 
Some  two  years  later  he  was  married  to  Jean  Ann 
Millington.  This  lady  died  in  the  spring  of  1877.  The 
following  chapter  of  autobiography  dates  from  this  time. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY     CONTINUED. — IX. 

1877  to  1879. 

In  April,  1877,  I  took  an  active  part  in  moving  for  a 
Committee  to  carry  into  effect  the  will  of  the  great  naval 
hero  Lord  Dundonald,  in  favour  of  his  grandson,  Lord 
Cochrane.  This  will  was  written  in  the  year  of  his  death, 
and  I  read  in  the  House  from  the  autograph  will  the 
following  words  : — 

"  I  leave  exclusively  to  my  grandson,  Douglas,  all  the 
sums  due  to  me  by  the  British  Government  for  my  im- 
portant services,  as  well  as  the  sums  of  pay  stopped  (under 
perjured  evidence)  for  the  commission  of  a  fraud  on  the 
Stock  Exchange.  Given  under  my  trembling  hand  this 
2 1  st  day  of  February,  i860,  the  anniversary  of  my 
ruin." 

Time  passes  so  quickly  and  events  fade  so  soon  in  its  pas- 
sage that  few  persons  recollect  now  to  what  the  old  man 
alluded.  Lord  Dundonald  is  better  known  as  Lord 
Cochrane,  when  he  was  the  greatest,  as  well  as  the  last,  of 
the  old  clan  of  British  seamen  renowned  for  dash  and 
daring  before  steam  altered  naval  tactics.  Early  in  the 
century  Lord  Cochrane  sat  in  the  House  of  Commons  as  a 
Radical  Member  for  Westminster  ;  in  18 14  he  received  the 


236  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

command  of  a  vessel  which  was  about  to  leave  London, 
when  he  heard,  as  all  the  public  did,  that  on  the  previous 
day  a  fraud  had  been  committed  on  the  Stock  Exchange. 
A  man  called  De  Berenger,  dressed  in  the  uniform  of  volun- 
teers, and  wearing  the  Cross  of  St.  Louis,  landed  at  Dover 
in  a  small  boat,  and  announcing  a  great  victory,  posted 
immediately  with  the  news  to  the  Stock  Exchange  in 
London,  causing  a  great  rise  in  the  price  of  Consols.  Upon 
that  rise  Lord  Cochrane  made  a  few  thousand  pounds,  while 
his  uncle,  Admiral  Cochrane,  obtained  a  much  larger  sum. 
De  Berenger,  after  delivering  his  false  news  at  the  Stock 
Exchange,  entered  his  carriage,  in  which  was  a  carpet  bag; 
drew  down  the  curtains  and  drove  to  Lord  Cochrane's 
house.  He  was  admitted  by  a  servant,  who  swore  that  he 
was  in  plain  clothes.  Much  of  the  evidence  turned  upon 
the  truth  of  this  statement.  Had  the  false  messenger 
arrived  in  his  uniform  and  changed  his  clothes  in  Lord 
Cochrane's  house,  the  latter  must  have  known  there  was 
something  wrong  in  the  visit,  which  had  for  its  professed 
object  to  obtain  some  berth  in  his  new  ship.  But  if  the 
man  changed  his  uniform  in  the  carriage  for  plain  clothes, 
there  was  no  reason  to  suspect  that  Lord  Cochrane  knew 
anything  of  the  conspiracy  on  the  Stock  Exchange.  It 
was  proved  beyond  doubt  that  weeks  before  he  had 
instructed  his  stockbroker  to  sell  consols  when  they  reached 
a  certain  figure,  and  that  the  latter  had  acted  on  past 
instructions. 

Lord  Cochrane  was  tried  before  an  extreme  Tory 
judge,  Lord  Ellenborough.  The  verdict  went  against  him, 
and  a  new  trial  was  refused,  although  Lord  Chancellor 
Campbell  remarked  that  the  verdict  was  "palpably  contrary 
to  the  first  principles  of  justice,  and  ought  immediately  to 
have  been  reversed."  As  a  result  Lord  Cochrane  was  fined 
;£  1,000,  was  sentenced  to  stand  in  the  pillory,  was  dismissed 
from  the  Navy,  was  expelled  from  the  House  of  Commons, 
was  stripped  of  his  orders  of  Knighthood,  and  had  his  banner 
torn  down  from  his  stall  as  a  Knight  of  the  Bath.  It  was 
actually  kicked  out  of  Westminster  Abbey  by  the  public 
executioner.     The  only  portion  of  the  sentence  remitted 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  237 

was  that  the  gallant  hero  should  stand  in  the  pillory,  and 
this  was  remitted  not  from  mercy  but  for  fear  of  an  insur- 
rection among  the  people.  His  fine  of  .£1,000  was  paid  by 
subscriptions  not  exceeding  a  penny  by  working  men, 
and  the  Bank  of  England  note  for  this  amount,  with 
an  indignant  protest  in  Lord  Cochrane's  writing,  is  now 
framed  and  preserved  in  the  Bank.  This  happened  in  the 
year  18 14,  but  it  was  not  till  1832  that  he  was  restored  to 
his  rank  in  the  Navy,  without  back  pay.  The  decoration 
of  the  Bath,  which  he  had  won  in  battles  which  were  the 
glory  of  his  country,  was  not  restored  till  1847,  and  the 
order  to  restore  his  banner  to  the  stall  in  Westminster 
Abbey  only  arrived  when  the  hero  was  dead,  on  the  31st 
October,  i860. 

My  present  effort  was  to  carry  out  the  will  of  Lord  Dun- 
donald  by  getting  his  back  pay  as  an  acknowledgment 
from  the  nation  that  he  had  been  treated  with  great 
injustice.  I  read  in  the  House  the  last  letter  which  the 
old  admiral  wrote  to  me  on  his  death-bed.  It  is  as 
follows  : — 

12,  Queen's  Gate,  South  Kensington, 
Lord  Dundonald  to  Play  fair.  October  2$tk,  i860. 

My  dear  Friend, — My  health  was  improving  so  fast, 
a  couple  of  months  ago,  that  I  had  formed  the  intention  of 
spending  the  remaining  portion  of  my  life  in  my  native 
land.  Since  then  the  progress  has  not  warranted  the 
attempt,  as  I  am  still  unable  to  subject  myself  to  the 
slightest  agitation — even  when  the  horses  walk  with  the 
carriage.  In  the  spring  (D.V.)  I  may  be  able  to  avail 
myself  of  the  kind  offer  you  make.1  I  send  you  the 
second  volume  of  my  Autobiography,  which  I  hope  is 
written  with  sufficient  plainness  to  enable  you  to  see 
how  I  have  been  treated  by  the  Political  Varlets  whose 
administration   will   be   the   ruin    of   our    country   unless 

1  Lord  Dundonald  had  written  to  ask  whether  I  would  receive  a  visit 
from  a  dying  man,  as  he  wished  to  see  and  to  die  in  Scotland,  and  I  had 
replied  that  I  would  go  to  London  to  bring  him  down,  not  to  die  but  to 
recover. 


238  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

some   Garibaldi   steps   forward   and   rescues  it.     Excuse 
brevity,  as  I  am  much  indisposed,  and  believe  me, 

Most  truly  yours, 

DUNDONALD. 

As  the  whole  world  by  this  time  had  come  to  the  con- 
viction that  Lord  Dundonald  was  entirely  innocent,  the 
House  could  not  refuse  an  appeal  for  a  Select  Committee, 
the  members  selected  being  excellent  men,  among  whom 
were  Spencer  Walpole,  Russell  Gurney,  Whitbread,  etc.  I 
declined  to  go  upon  it,  as  my  feelings  of  friendship  were 
too  keen  to  make  me  a  fair  judge.  The  Committee  felt 
perfectly  satisfied  of  Lord  Dundonald's  innocence,  but  they 
hesitated  as  to  the  report  from  lack  of  evidence.  At  the 
critical  point  an  interesting  event  occurred.  In  18 14  Lord 
Dundonald  and  Lady  X.  were  in  love,  and,  though  they 
did  not  marry,  always  held  each  other  in  great  esteem  for 
the  rest  of  their  lives.  Old  Lady  X.  was  still  alive  in  1877, 
and  she  sent  me  a  letter,  through  young  Lord  Cochrane, 
the  grandson,  authorising  me  to  use  it  as  I  thought  best. 
The  letter  was  yellow  with  age,  but  had  been  carefully 
preserved.  It  was  written  by  Lord  Dundonald,  and  was 
dated  from  the  prison  on  the  night  of  his  committal.  It 
tried  to  console  the  lady  by  the  fact  that  the  guilt  of  a 
near  relative  of  hers  was  not  suspected,  while  the  innocence 
of  the  writer  was  his  support  and  consolation.  The  old  lady 
must  have  had  a  terrible  trial.  It  was  hard  to  sacrifice  the 
reputation  of  her  relative  :  it  was  harder  still  to  see  injustice 
still  resting  upon  her  former  lover.  Lord  Dundonald  loved 
her,  and  had  received  much  kindness  from  her  relative, 
so  he  suffered  calumny  and  the  injustice  of  nearly  two 
generations  rather  than  tell  the  true  story  of  his  wrongs. 
I  had  long  suspected  the  truth,  but  I  never  heard  it  from 
Lord  Dundonald.  The  brave  old  lady  tendered  this  letter 
as  evidence  to  the  Committee,  but  I  declined  to  give  it  in, 
knowing  that  had  my  friend  been  alive  he  would  not  have 
allowed  me  to  do  so.  At  the  same  time  I  showed  the 
letter  to  the  members  of  the  Committee  individually,  and 
it  had  a  great  effect  upon  their  minds,  and  no  doubt  helped 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  239 

to  secure  the  report  recommending  that  the  Treasury 
should  pay  the  grandson  the  back  salary  of  the  Admiral. 
The  interesting  letter  itself  I  recommended  should  be  put 
in  the  archives  of  the  Dundonald  family,  and  this  I  believe 
has  been  done. 

In  the  autumn  of  1877  I  visited  for  the  first  time  the 
United  States,  the  first  of  many  subsequent  visits  to  that 
country.  On  arriving  at  New  York,  I  found  an  invitation 
to  spend  a  week  at  Nahant,  near  Boston,  at  the  house  of 
Mr  Russell.  Mr  S.  H.  Russell,  with  his  wife  and  two 
daughters,  had  travelled  in  Europe  in  the  summer  of  1875, 
and  I  accidentally  became  acquainted  with  them  at  a  table 
d'hote  in  an  hotel  at  the  Hague.  This  acquaintance  ripened 
into  a  friendship,  and  three  years  later  (1878)  the  eldest  of  the 
daughters,  Miss  Edith  Russell,  became  my  wife.  Through 
this  family  I  at  once  became  acquainted  with  the  highly 
intellectual  society  of  Boston.  Longfellow,  Emerson, 
Wendell  Holmes,  Lowell,  Tom  Appleton,  and  other  men 
of  light  and  leading  I  met  at  their  house,  forming  many 
pleasant  friendships  for  the  future.  Emerson  I  had  known 
before,  although  my  introduction  to  him  had  been  singular 
and  irregular.  One  night  he  came  to  a  debate  in  the 
House  of  Commons  and  sat  under  the  gallery.  The  door- 
keeper of  the  House  was  a  man  of  literary  tastes,  and  was 
distressed  to  observe  that  Emerson  received  no  attention 
from  members,  so  he  asked  me  to  speak  to  him.  Having 
introduced  myself,  I  pointed  out  to  the  American  philo- 
sopher the  leading  politicians.  The  next  evening  I  had  a 
dinner  party  of  clever  men,  so  I  asked  Emerson  to  join 
us.  Having  an  edition  of  his  works  bound  in  red  morocco, 
I  placed  them  in  the  drawing-room,  and  the  author  was 
particularly  pleased  to  see  them  in  this  attractive  form,  so 
he  inscribed  his  name  in  them,  with  the  date. 

Emerson  now  eagerly  renewed  our  acquaintance,  and 
returned  my  small  hospitality.  He  invited  me  to  Concord, 
and  it  was  charming  to  drive  with  him  over  the  ground 
where  the  first  collision  in  the  great  War  of  Independence 
occurred,  even  though  I  had  to  remember  the  defeat  of 
British  troops  in  a  bad  cause.     Emerson,  at  this  time,  was 


240  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

in  full  possession  of  his  great  faculties.  At  a  later  period 
he  found  great  difficulty  in  expressing  his  thoughts,  though, 
so  far  as  I  observed,  his  mind  was  never  lost,  notwith- 
standing that  in  his  latter  years  the  words  which  he  desired 
refused  to  come  at  his  call.1 

In  1877,  however,  Emerson  was  every  inch  the  philo- 
sopher whose  writings  I  had  so  long  enjoyed  and  knew  so 
well.  In  the  Saturday  club  dinners  at  which  I  have  been 
a  frequent  guest,  I  am  pleased  to  remember  that  I  have 
met  Longfellow,  Emerson,  Wendell  Holmes,  Lowell,  Park- 
man,  and  many  other  illustrious  Bostonians  in  the  zenith 
of  their  fame.  Longfellow,  in  his  old  colonial  house  at 
Cambridge,  formerly  the  headquarters  of  Washington,  was 
the  most  genial  and  delightful  of  hosts.  He  was  too 
amiable  to  refuse  anyone  who  called,  however  obtrusive 
they  might  be.  On  one  occasion  I  went  to  lunch  with 
him,  and  observed  a  number  of  chairs  in  the  library,  so  I 
remarked  that  he  seemed  to  have  had  many  visitors. 
"  Yes,"  said  the  old  poet,  "  countrymen  of  your  own  who 
had  a  leader  called  Mr  Cook"  (?Cook's  excursions).  "  They 
sat  there  staring,  without  conversation,  till  a  fat  old  lady 
opened  it  by  saying  :  '  Now,  Mr  Longfellow,  explain  to 
us  your  views  on  the  immortality  of  the  soul.'  This  I 
positively  declined  to  do."  Longfellow  used  to  tell  with 
glee  that,  on  one  occasion,  an  English  gentleman  called 
upon  him  without  an  introduction,  apologising  by  saying  : 
"  Mr  Longfellow,  as  there  are  no  ruins  in  this  country  for 
a  traveller  to  look  at,  I  have  come  to  see  you"  !  Long- 
fellow, and  I  should  add  Emerson,  were  poets  without 
being  egotists.  I  have  known  many  poets  in  my  life 
whose  very  personality  made  them  egotists ;  yet  their 
egotism  was  delightful,  and  an  essential  part  of  their 
character.  In  the  United  States  the  strong  personality  of 
dear  old  Wendell  Holmes,  the  autocrat  not  only  of  the 

]  A  touching  story  illustrating  this  infirmity  on  the  part  of  the  great 
writer  has  been  recorded.  On  the  day  when  Longfellow,  with  whom  he 
had  been  for  many  years  on  terms  of  the  most  intimate  affection,  was 
carried  to  the  grave,  Emerson,  after  attending  the  funeral,  said  to  his 
daughter,  "  I  do  not  remember  the  name  of  the  gentleman  who  was  buried 
to-day,  but  he  had  a  sweet  soul."—  Ed. 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  24 1 

breakfast  table  but  of  every  other  table,  brings  him  into 
this  clan.  Yet  his  egotism  is  always  exercised  in  giving 
pleasure  to  others,  for  he  is  the  soul  of  geniality  and  good- 
fellowship,  and  there  is  not  one  among  his  many  friends 
who  would  desire  any  change  in  his  character. 

In  a  first  visit  to  the  United  States  it  was  desirable  to 
get  a  general  impression  of  it  as  far  as  the  time  would 
permit,  so  after  visiting  the  White  Mountains  and  the 
Lakes  George  and  Champlain,  I  went  to  Chicago.  That 
wonderful  city  has  often  been  described.  But  what  sur- 
.  prised  me  more  than  its  mushroom  quickness  of  growth, 
after  the  great  fire,  was  the  state  of  intellectual  development 
among  the  citizens.  On  the  morning  (it  being  Sunday)  after 
my  arrival  I  went  to  the  public  theatre,  to  hear  a  sermon 
by  Professor  Swing.  The  large  theatre  was  crowded  in 
every  part,  and  I  was  glad  to  get  a  seat  on  one  of  the  steps. 
The  audience  was  singularly  well  dressed,  much  better  than 
one  in  the  Royal  Institution  in  London.  The  clergyman 
advanced  on  the  stage  with  a  lady,  and  handed  her  respect- 
fully to  a  seat.  She  was  the  chief  soprano.  The  sermon 
was  remarkable,  the  subject  being  "The  Darwinian  law  of 
development  applied  to  the  coming  of  the  Kingdom  of 
God."  The  preacher  was  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
the  views  of  Darwin,  Spencer,  Huxley,  Tyndall  and 
others  ;  but  what  surprised  me  most  was  that  the  audience 
seemed  also  to  be.  I  was  so  struck  with  the  breadth 
and  eloquence  of  this  sermon  that  I  sent  the  newspaper 
containing  a  full  report  of  it  to  Darwin,  who  afterwards 
expressed  his  interest  in  it. 

It  was  a  thorough  change  from  my  first  mental  impres- 
sion of  Chicago  to  go  next  morning  to  the  pig-killing 
establishment  and  listen  to  the  boasts  of  how  many 
pigs  a  minute  could  be  carried  by  rail  past  the  butcher's 
knife  and  dropped  into  a  cauldron  of  boiling  water. 
I  expressed  my  conviction  that  the  pigs  were  not  dead, 
but  only  in  a  faint  from  loss  of  blood,  when  they  entered 
the  cauldron.  The  owner  fairly  replied — "Examine 
for  yourself  and  see  whether  there  is  a  quiver  denoting 
pain,"  and  this  I  could  not  see.     But  he  admitted  at  the 

Q 


242  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

same  time  that  I  was  right,  for  occasionally,  though 
very  rarely,  a  pig  got  out  of  its  faint  and  would  leap  out  of 
the  cauldron.  An  expression  of  the  owner  was  suggestive  : 
"  My  pigs  are  incarnated  Indian  corn."  A  glowing  sun  and 
illimitable  land  grow  vast  crops  of  this  nutritious  corn,  too 
much  for  foreign  export ;  but  it  is  concentrated  into  meat 
and  fat,  and  in  the  condensed  form  of  bacon  and  ham  the 
working  men  of  Europe,  especially  in  the  colder  regions, 
are  warmed  by  the  sun  conserved  in  the  fat  and  flesh,  and 
are  nourished  by  the  products  of  the  soil  of  the  far  West. 

I  do  not  like  to  part  with  my  recollections  of  Chicago 
without  referring  in  grateful  terms  to  the  hospitality  I 
received  there.  I  had  not  one  letter  of  introduction,  but 
immediately  on  my  arrival  the  excellent  clubs  of  the  city 
were  opened  to  me,  and  hospitality  abounded.  General 
Sheridan  and  the  British  Consul  made  my  stay  one 
of  pleasant  memories.  An  absurd  mistake  of  nationality 
caused  much  amusement  at  the  time.  My  travelling  com- 
panion, Colonel  Holmes,  M.P.  for  Paisley,  was  surprised 
that  we  never  saw  a  typical  American — typical  in  the  sense 
of  the  John  Bull  in  English  caricatures,  and  of  the  Brother 
Jonathan  in  American  illustrated  papers.  At  Chicago,  how- 
ever, my  Scotch  friend  found  his  typical  American  outside 
the  hotel.  He  was  tall,  lank,  lantern-jawed,  had  a  straw 
hat,  and  a  semicircle  of  tobacco  juice  around  him.  I  was 
immediately  fetched  to  inspect  this  true  type.  We  asked 
him  how  many  generations  his  ancestors  had  been  in 
America,  and  in  what  Western  State  he  had  been  born. 
The  reply  astonished  the  two  Scotch  M.P's.  "  Hoot  man, 
I'm  no  an  American.  I  cam  frae  Paisley  laist  year ! " 
After  this  experience  we  discontinued  our  researches  for 
American  types  ! 

It  is  needless  to  describe  the  usual  tour  to  St.  Louis, 
Louisville,  and  other  places  so  well  known.  The  Mammoth 
caves  in  Kentucky  naturally  interested  me  much,  but  even 
they  have  been  made  familiar  by  repeated  descriptions. 
Cincinnati  is  like  Chicago  both  in  the  rapidity  of  its  growth 
and  in  the  character  of  its  industries,  while  its  houses,  with 
their  beautiful  gardens,  render  it  singularly  attractive.     On 


PARLIAMENTARY  WORK.  243 

travelling  from  Cincinnati  to  Washington  I  curiously  had 
to  adopt  a  young  lady  as  my  daughter  for  a  single  night. 
We  had  met  a  Scotch  shipbuilder  from  the  Clyde  who  was 
travelling  with  his  daughter,  a  young  lady  of  about  twenty 
years  of  age.  On  crossing  one  of  the  rivers  the  conductor 
asked  us  to  go  to  the  rear  car  in  order  to  see  from  it  the 
high  tressle  bridge.  About  an  hour  and  a  half  later,  while 
sitting  in  the  drawing-room  car,  the  young  lady  expressed 
to  me  her  surprise  that  her  father  did  not  appear,  and  I 
then  noticed  that  my  travelling  companion,  Colonel 
Holmes,  was  also  absent.  The  conductor  was  asked  to 
tell  the  missing  gentlemen  that  their  continued  absence 
caused  some  anxiety,  and  he  returned  looking  pale,  for  he 
found  they  were  no  longer  on  the  train.  I  told  him  that  I 
had  left  them  smoking  in  the  rear  car.  It  turned  out  that 
this  had  been  unhooked  from  the  train  after  passing  the 
bridge.  It  was  now  getting  dark,  and  I  was  nearing  an 
hotel  where  I  had  engaged  rooms  for  the  night.  On  asking 
the  young  lady  whether  she  intended  to  go  on  by  the  night 
train  to  Washington,  I  found  that  she  had  neither  ticket  nor 
money,  as  her  father  carried  both.  She  therefore  stopped 
with  me  at  the  hotel,  and  was  registered  as  Miss  Play  fair, 
and  by  telegraph  I  was  able  to  assure  the  anxious  father 
of  her  safety.  Next  morning  he  joined  us,  and  we  went 
on  to  Washington. 

The  day  was  most  boisterous,  as  one  of  the  heaviest 
gales  of  the  Equinox  was  passing  over  the  country. 
Towards  evening  we  were  playing  at  whist,  when  the 
train  came  to  such  a  sudden  stop  that  we  were  thrown 
out  of  our  seats.  The  conductor  would,  as  usual,  give 
no  explanation,  but  I  had  been  on  the  engine  and 
made  friends  with  the  driver  by  giving  him  half  a  dozen 
cigars,  so  I  went  forward.  We  were  on  a  high  tressle 
bridge,  some  150  feet  above  a  flooded  river,  and  three  of 
the  arches  had  been  carried  away.  The  driver  had  luckily 
seen  lights  which  were  being  frantically  waved  from  the 
other  side,  and  had  succeeded  by  the  steam  brake  in 
stopping  the  train  just  at  the  edge  of  the  chasm.  It  was 
the  exact  condition  of  the  disaster  on  the  Tay  Bridge,  but 


244  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

with  this  happy  difference,  that  the  train  was  stopped 
in  time.  We  had  to  back  the  train  and  go  round  to 
Washington  by  way  of  Baltimore. 

My  first  visit  to  Washington  was  during  the  recess,  and 
so  I  have  little  to  record  except  that  I  made  the  acquaint- 
ance of  President  Hayes  and  various  members  of  his 
Cabinet,  several  of  whom  in  after  years  became  pleasant 
acquaintances.  The  National  Museum,  the  great  library, 
and  the  Education  Department,  naturally  interested  me 
much.  One  of  my  days  was  spent  in  the  great  Lunatic 
Asylum  near  the  city,  and  I  received  a  rebuke  to  my 
supposed  knowledge  there  which  has  rendered  me  less  con- 
fident ever  since.  I  have  always  been  interested  in  lunacy, 
and  constantly  visit  asylums,  so  that  I  believed  I  could 
detect  a  lunatic  by  outward  signs,  and  especially  by  the 
expressionless  character  of  the  hands  of  a  patient.  Left 
alone  for  some  time  in  the  female  ward,  as  the  physician 
was  called  away,  I  noticed  a  young  lady  sitting  at  a  window, 
working  at  needlework,  both  her  face  and  hands  being  in 
full  expression  with  her  work,  so  I  presumed  she  was  an 
attendant,  and  not  a  lunatic.  She  pushed  aside  her  work 
and  came  quietly  to  me,  remarking,  "  You,  sir,  are  an 
English  gentleman;  will  you  represent  my  case  to  the 
English  Minister  ?  for  I  am  not  insane,  and  am  kept  here 
from  interested  motives  by  my  relatives."  I  assured  her 
that  I  would  cause  an  inquiry  to  be  made,  if  she  were  an 
English  subject.  She  replied,  "  I  am  an  American  lady."  I 
then  explained  that  it  was  impossible  for  me,  under  these 
circumstances,  to  interest  the  English  Minister,  but  I  pro- 
mised not  to  leave  Washington  without  mentioning  her 
case  to  Secretary  Schurtz.  The  lady  curtsied  in  a  dignified 
way,  and  declined  my  interference.  A  few  minutes  after, 
she  again  approached  me,  and  said,  "  I  have  been  studying 
your  face,  and  there  is  kindness  in  it ;  will  you  sit  beside 
me  till  I  state  how  badly  I  have  been  used  ?  To  make  my 
case  quite  clear  to  you  I  must  first  explain  that  all  the 
telegraph  wires  in  the  United  States  centre  in  my  body, 
and  I  am  subject  to  perpetual  electric  shocks ! "  I  had 
become  so  thoroughly  convinced  of  her  sanity  that  I  had 


PARLIAMENTARY  WORK.  245 

no  reply  ready,  so  I  merely  said  :  "  Why,  you  are  an 
electric  phenomenon  ! "  "  Yes,"  said  the  poor  lady, 
"those  two  words  exactly  represent  my  condition."  I 
left  the  asylum  a  humbler  but  a  wiser  man. 

The  year  1877  and  the  following  year  have  little  to 
record  in  my  Parliamentary  life  beyond  the  usual  activity 
in  questions  of  education.  My  efforts  to  reduce  the  salt 
tax  in  India  were  again  renewed.  Salt  is  a  necessary  of 
life  as  much  as  air,  water,  and  food.  Ten  pounds  of  salt 
per  head  of  the  population  form  the  lowest  limit  for  public 
health.  A  salt  tax  is,  therefore,  in  the  nature  of  a  poll  tax, 
for  it  affects  every  person  in  the  whole  population.  In  a 
country  like  India,  where  the  wants  of  the  people  are  few, 
it  is  difficult  to  find  commodities  for  taxation,  so  a  tax 
upon  salt  is  always  the  resource  of  Indian  financiers.  But 
such  a  tax  is  especially  heavy  on  a  population  like  that  of 
India,  which  chiefly  lives  on  starchy  food.  Less  salt  is 
necessary  with  an  animal  diet  than  with  one  which  has  for 
its  staple  rice  or  potatoes.  When  the  Irish  lived  on  the 
latter,  they  consumed  much  salt,  and  so  must  the  rice- 
feeding  peoples  of  India.  Taxation,  of  course,  lessens 
consumption.  Before  the  Revolution  in  France,  the  salt 
tax  was  onerous,  and  partly  led  to  the  general  upheaval  of 
the  nation.  In  the  districts  of  France  which  purchased 
immunity  from  the  grande  gabelle,  the  consumption  of  salt 
rose  to  18  lb.  per  head;  whilst  in  the  heavily  taxed 
districts  it  scarcely  reached  9  lb.  The  same  has  been  the 
experience  in  India.  Formerly,  when  the  salt  tax  was 
low,  the  consumption  in  India  is  said  to  have  been  1 5  to 
16  lb. ;  whereas  in  Bengal  (1877)  it  is  only  10  lb.,  and  in 
Bombay  9.7  lb. 

The  salt  tax  is  essentially  unfair,  for  it  does  not 
take  into  account  the  ability  of  the  consumer  to  pay. 
The  beggar  must  pay  just  as  much  as  the  highest 
rajah  or  the  richest  trader.  You  might  tax  food  of  any 
kind,  and  the  consumer  might  live  on  untaxed  diet :  he 
might  subsist  on  herbs,  slugs,  or  caterpillars,  and  still 
preserve  life.  But  salt  he  must  have,  as  it  forms  more 
than  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  mineral  ingredients  of  the  blood. 


246  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

My  attacks  on  the  salt  tax  of  India  did  not  procure  its 
abolition,  but,  I  hope,  partly  caused  its  large  re- 
duction ;  and,  as  a  consequence,  consumption  rose,  and 
recouped  the  Indian  Government  for  the  reduction  of 
the  tax. 

During  the  session  a  private  Bill  was  introduced  into 
Parliament  empowering  Manchester  to  take  water  from 
Lake  Thirlmere,  in  Cumberland.  This  produced  much 
public  excitement,  the  utilitarians  promoting  the  Bill,  the 
lovers  of  beautiful  scenery  in  the  Lake  district  vehemently 
opposing  it.  The  House  took  the  matter  into  its  own 
hands,  by  appointing  what  is  termed  a  hybrid  Committee, 
partly  consisting  of  members  to  represent  public,  and 
others  to  represent  local,  interests.  Of  this  Committee  I 
was  appointed  Chairman,  and  pretty  heavy  work  it  was 
with  the  array  of  numerous  counsel  learned  in  the  law  to 
protect  the  several  interests.  The  Committee  reported  in 
favour  of  the  Bill,  but  took  special  care  that  the  beauty  of 
the  district  should  be  enhanced,  and  not  deteriorated. 
This  was  easy,  for  formerly  the  lake  was  larger,  but  the 
water  had  worn  away  a  natural  dam  and  partially  emptied 
itself.  We  gave  power  to  restore  the  natural  dam  in  a 
picturesque  way,  and  thus  increased  the  size  of  the  lake. 
I  presume  that  my  judgment  was  good,  for  public 
excitement  was  calmed,  and  I  have  never  since  heard  a 
word  against  our  decision. 

This  year  (1878)  there  was  an  International  Exhibition 
in  Paris,  and  a  Royal  Commission  was  issued  in  England 
to  exhibit  English  products.  The  Prince  of  Wales  became 
President  of  the  Commission,  and  at  his  request  I  acted  as 
Chairman  of  the  Finance  Committee.  Sir  Cunliffe  Owen, 
who  has  a  genius  for  displays  of  this  kind,  was  a  most 
efficient  executive  officer ;  but  he  is  not  an  economical 
administrator,  and  it  was  only  through  his  friendship  for 
me  that  he  restrained  himself  to  a  reasonable  expenditure. 
The  Exhibition,  particularly  the  English  section,  was 
eminently  successful.  The  Prince  of  Wales  acquired  much 
reputation  for  the  attention  and  skill  which  he  bestowed 
on   the   management.      At   the   close  of  the    Exhibition, 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  247 

President  Grevy  promoted  me  from  the  rank  of  Officer  to 
that  of  Commander  of  the  Legion  of  Honour. 

In  this  year  (1878)  I  repeated  my  visit  to  the  other  side 
of  the  Atlantic.  On  this  occasion  the  object  was  of  great 
personal  importance,  for  during  the  visit  I  was  married,  on 
October  3rd,  to  Miss  Edith  Russell,  of  Boston,  who  has 
been  to  me  a  constant  source  of  support  and  sympathy, 
both  in  my  private  and  public  life.  Probably  few 
marriages  have  had  so  many  literary  celebrities  as 
"  assistants,"  for  all  the  poets  and  philosophers  to  whom  I 
have  formerly  alluded  were  present. 

On  the  occasion  of  this  American  visit,  I  went  to 
Canada  previous  to  my  marriage.  I  reached  Montreal  at 
night  without  my  luggage,  which  was  to  follow  by 
railway.  As  it  contained  my  letters  of  introduction,  I  felt 
the  sense  of  loneliness  that  one  experiences  on  arriving  in 
a  large  town  without  knowing  a  single  soul,  and  in  this 
state  of  mind  I  went  out  to  see  the  cathedral.  On 
returning  to  the  hotel,  I  was  amazed  to  see  my  table 
covered  with  visiting  cards,  all  from  medical  men.  The 
landlord  explained  that  there  was  a  congress  of  all  the 
medical  men  in  the  Dominion  ;  and,  as  a  biography  of 
myself  had  appeared  in  the  Montreal  papers  that  morning, 
he  supposed  that  was  the  cause  of  the  numerous  callers. 
Accordingly,  I  went  to  the  sitting  of  this  medical  congress, 
which  was  open  to  the  public.  I  had  scarcely  been  there 
ten  minutes,  knowing  no  one,  when  the  President 
announced  that  I  was  in  the  Hall,  and  proposed  a 
suspension  of  the  rules,  that  I  might  be  made  an  honorary 
member.  He  then  further  proposed  that  I  should  be 
received  "  with  standing  honours,"  an  American  ceremony 
quite  new  to  me.  This  consisted  in  two  members  coming 
solemnly  to  the  back  form,  on  which  I  was  sitting,  and 
taking  me  into  custody  by  flanking  me  on  each  side,  and 
then  conducting  me  through  the  upstanding  assembly  to 
the  platform,  where  I  was  at  once  asked  to  make  a 
speech.  I  have  mentioned  this  incident  because  it 
profoundly  impressed  me  at  the  time  with  the  fact  that 
every  public  man  in  England,  if  he  has  tried  to  be  useful, 


248  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

is  welcome  in  every  part  of  the  Empire.  Though  my 
letters  of  introduction  arrived  the  next  day,  I  had  never 
occasion  to  present  them.  The  hospitality  was  boundless, 
and  I  found  it  was  supposed  that  I  could  eat  two  dinners 
and  two  suppers  every  night.  Since  then  I  have  always 
been  a  warm  friend  to  what  is  called  the  federation  of  the 
Empire.  Political  federation  may  be  in  the  dim  and 
distant  future,  but  unity  of  interests  and  of  sentiment 
already  exists,  and  can  be  readily  promoted.  I  am  not  a 
prominent  politician,  and  at  best  am  only  a  humble 
reformer  of  the  social  condition  of  the  people ;  yet,  in 
spite  of  that,  Canada  was  as  much  a  home  to  me  as  my 
mother  country. 

I  may  give  one  or  two  other  illustrations  of  this  com- 
munity of  country.  I  went  up  the  river  Lievre,  a  tributary 
of  the  Ottawa,  to  see  some  deposits  of  phosphate  of  lime. 
In  1878  it  was,  and  still  may  be,  a  rough  district.  The 
hotel  in  which  I  slept  was  primitive,  and  the  bedroom  had 
all  the  appearance  of  belonging  to  some  rough  customer,  to 
judge  by  the  coats,  gun  and  pistols  hanging  on  the  walls. 
At  three  in  the  morning  my  door  was  violently  shaken  and 
I  was  summoned  to  give  up  the  room,  as  its  owner  had 
returned.  On  opening  the  door  I  pointed  to  the  bed  from 
which  I  had  beat  a  speedy  retreat,  and  offered  it  to  the 
owner,  saying  that  I  was  content  with  three  chairs  in  the 
centre  of  the  room.  My  fellow-occupant  of  the  room  was 
an  Englishman,  jolly  and  pleasant,  though  leading  the 
rough  life  of  a  mining  adventurer,  and,  as  neither  of  us 
would  risk  the  bed  again,  we  sat  up  for  the  remainder  of 
the  night,  and  he  gave  me  much  useful  information. 

The  next  day,  with  some  friends,  I  went  further  up  the 
Lievre  to  see  some  mines  of  mineral  phosphate.  The 
manager  of  these  was  a  Scotchman,  tall,  big-boned,  with 
the  strongest  Glasgow  Doric  in  his  tongue.  At  first  he  was 
obdurate,  and  desired  us  to  leave  the  ground  and  to  drop 
the  specimens  which  we  had  taken  before  he  appeared. 
At  last  I  addressed  him  in  good  Scotch,  and  asked  him 
whether  he  thought  I  was  a  mining  adventurer — "  Ay  ! 
that's  just  what  ye  are."     "  No,"  I  replied,  "  I  am  a  Scotch 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  249 

professor."  "Then  if  ye  are,  ye'll  be  havin'  a  name." 
"  My  name,"  I  said,  "  is  Playfair."  "  Man  ! "  said  my 
Scotch  friend,  "  are  ye  Lyon  Playfair  ? "  I  assured  him 
I  was,  but  expressed  surprise  that  he  knew  the  name,  to 
which  he  replied,  looking  from  his  six  feet  two  inches  with 
compassion  on  my  five  feet  four  inches,  "  Hoot  man,  yer 
name's  travelled  further  than  yer  wee  legs  will  ever  carry 
ye."  After  that  nothing  was  too  good  for  us.  He  took  us 
down  the  mine,  gave  his  best  specimens,  and  produced  a 
good  leg  of  mutton  "  and  a  drap  of  raal  Scotch  whisky " 
for  our  refreshment.  I  had  given  a  small  present  to  his 
little  daughter,  but  as  it  was  in  money  he  would  not  allow 
her  to  keep  it,  asking  in  exchange  for  my  photograph.  So 
even  at  the  mines  in  this  rough  district  one  was  welcomed 
as  a  friend. 

On  going  up  the  Lievre  I  had  sent  my  luggage  to  an 
hotel  at  Ottawa,  with  a  letter  stating  that  I  should  arrive 
by  the  steamer  on  the  following  Wednesday  evening.  On 
reaching  the  wharf  the  private  secretary  of  Mr  McKenzie, 
then  Prime  Minister,  met  me  and  said  that  he  had  asked 
his  Cabinet  to  dine  with  him  that  night  to  meet  me 
and  that  I  had  just  time  to  dress  for  dinner.  This  was  true 
hospitality,  for  I  had  not  even  a  letter  of  introduction  to 
Mr  McKenzie,  and  he  could  only  have  heard  of  my 
intended  arrival  through  my  letter  to  the  hotel.  It  was 
most  pleasant  to  meet  the  Canadian  politicians  in  this  way. 
Mr  McKenzie  was  originally  a  stonemason,  and  still 
retained  the  Scotch  accent  which  few  Scotchmen  care  to 
lose.  I  found  him  to  be  a  most  intelligent  politician, 
worthy  to  be  the  leader  of  a  party.  He  lost  that  position 
in  the  following  year,  and  breaking  health  prevented  him 
from  regaining  it.  On  the  occasion  of  this  visit,  while  at 
Toronto,  I  became  acquainted  also  with  the  Conservative 
leader,  Sir  John  Macdonald,  whom  I  have,  since  then,  had 
many  opportunities  of  meeting.  He,  still  more  than 
McKenzie,  had  the  qualities  of  a  leader  of  men,  and  has 
certainly  done  much  to  develop  the  industries  of  his 
country,  in  spite  of  his  love  for  a  protective  tariff. 

Before   leaving   Canada  I  went  to  Quebec  to  pay  my 


250  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

respects  to  Lord  Dufferin,  whom  I  had  known  for  many 
years. 

The  Governor-General  was  going  that  night  to  Montreal 
to  take  his  final  leave  of  Canadian  public  men  before 
sailing  to  England.  In  spite  of  that  his  hospitality  was,  as 
usual,  munificent,  and  he  managed  to  compress  into  his 
final  day  a  picnic  to  the  falls  of  Montmorency  and  an 
afternoon  reception  of  ladies  at  the  Citadel,  as  well  as  a 
pleasant  small  dinner  before  he  went  on  board  the  steamer 
which  was  to  take  him  to  Montreal.  Perhaps  my  unex- 
pected visit  was  useful,  as  he  wished  much  to  talk  with  a 
public  man  upon  a  pressing  invitation  from  the  Govern- 
ment that  he  should  assume  the  government  of  Victoria  for 
a  year  or  two.  This  was  a  proposal  clearly  incompatible 
with  Lord  Dufferin's  great  success  as  Governor-General  of 
Canada,  and  I  strongly  urged  that  he  should  accept  no 
office  lower  than  that  of  Viceroy  of  India  if  he  were  to 
continue  in  a  similar  career.  He  may  recollect  that  in  the 
long  walk  at  the  top  of  the  Citadel  in  Quebec  my  apprecia- 
tion of  his  position  at  the  time  was  higher  than  that  which, 
from  his  own  modesty,  he  himself  felt  inclined  to  fonn. 

Playfair's  visit  to  the  United  States  marked  the  begin- 
ning of  a  new  epoch  in  his  personal  life.  Not  only  did  it 
lead  to  his  marriage  to  the  wife  who  survives  him,  but  it 
opened  up  for  him  a  host  of  pleasant  friendships  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  secured  for  him  a  position 
in  the  United  States  enjoyed  by  few  of  his  contemporaries 
among  the  public  men  of  England.  During  his  later  years, 
his  visits  to  America  became  annual  events  ;  and  with  his 
happy  faculty  of  making  himself  at  home  wherever  he 
might  be,  he  very  quickly  learned  to  appreciate  America, 
without  losing  any  of  his  patriotic  devotion  to  his 
own  land.  Scarcely  any  Englishman  of  our  time  had  a 
wider  range  of  acquaintanceships  among  the  American 
people.  With  the  public  men  and  men  of  letters  of 
Washington  and  Boston  he  speedily  came  to  be  on  familiar 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  25 1 

terms.  To  the  study  of  American  politics  he  brought  a 
close  and  sympathetic  attention,  and  in  due  time  it  was  his 
happy  lot  to  be  able  to  render  great  sendees  both  to  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States  under  circumstances  of 
exceptional  gravity.  It  is  too  early  in  this  narrative  to 
speak  of  the  work  he  did  in  connection  with  the  Venezuela 
crisis,  when  the  peaceful  relations  of  the  two  countries 
were,  for  a  time,  seriously  threatened  ;  but  it  may  be  said 
here  that  this  work  could  not  have  been  accomplished  if  he 
had  not  prepared  himself  for  it  by  his  repeated  visits  to 
America,  his  close  study  of  American  institutions  and 
affairs,  and  his  friendship  with  many  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished persons  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic.  For 
these  reasons  it  seems  desirable  to  supplement  his  own 
brief  narrative  of  his  first  visits  to  the  States  by  extracts 
from  his  correspondence  at  the  time. 

S.S.  Germanic,  near  Sable  Island, 

Play/air  to  his  Daughter.  August  7,0th,  1877. 

My  dzarest  Jessie, — So  far  we  have  had  a  remark- 
ably prosperous  and  fine  voyage,  and  we  hope  to  reach 
New  York  about  ten  o'clock  to-morrow  (Friday)  night. 
If  we  do,  it  will  be  the  quickest  voyage  on  record.  On 
only  one  day  we  had  a  gale,  which  split  two  sails,  and  con- 
fined me  to  bed  till  lunch  time.  For  the  rest  it  has  been 
like  a  yachting  excursion.  The  passengers  are  a  meny  lot 
of  people.  Last  night  we  had  a  solemn  trial,  before  a  judge 
and  jury,  of  a  passenger  who  had  proposed  marriage  to  six 
young  ladies.  The  counsel  did  their  part  very  cleverly. 
The  culprit  was  found  guilty,  but  recommended  to  mercy 
on  account  of  his  age.  I  thought  the  whole  thing  a  piece 
of  excellent  nonsense  ;  but  two  of  the  lady  witnesses 
assured  me  that  he  had  actually  proposed  to  them,  although 
he  is  notoriously  a  married  man.  To-night  we  are  to  have 
charades.  The  study  of  character  is  amusing.  I  have 
formed  no  pronounced  friendships  with  anyone,  for  the 
sort  of  chaff  which  goes  on  is  too-  ftrononce  for  me  ;  but  I 
have  made  friendly  acquaintances. 


252  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

The  Germanic  is  a  superb  vessel,  and  the  officers 
excellent.  They  are  anxious  that  I  should,  return  with 
them  on  the  13th  October.  My  present  intention  is  to 
sail  with  the  twin  vessel,  the  Britannic,  on  the  3rd 
November ;  but  if  I  feel  homesick,  I  may  sail  on  the 
13th  October,  for  I  should  much  like  to  return  with  this 
ship.  Mr  Holmes,  the  M.P.  for  Paisley,  is  on  board,  and 
is  a  very  genial,  pleasant  man.  I  think  that  it  is  likely  we 
shall  join  together  after  eight  or  ten  days,  during  which  he 
makes  a  visit,  as  I  do  also.  It  will  be  pleasant  to  have  a 
travelling  companion.  I  will  add  to  this  letter  when  we 
are  in  sight  of  New  York,  for  the  mail  starts  in  the 
morning,  and  we  will  just  be  in  time  to  catch  it.  .  .  .  We 
shall  not  reach  New  York  till  twelve  at  night,  and  this 
letter  will  be  sent  off  at  once  on  board  the  Richmo?id, 
which  starts  at  eight  to-morrow  morning.  Our  average 
speed  since  we  started  has  been  i8£  miles  per  hour, 
so  we  have  had  a  glorious  passage.  I  cannot  give  you 
any  other  address  than  the  Russell's  at  present.  I  go 
there  on  Tuesday,  and  probably  shall  stay  four  days. 
When  you  get  this  I  expect  to  be  at  Niagara,  and  shall 
then  go  to  Toronto,  Montreal,  and  Quebec,  and  return  to 
the  States  after  a  short  tour  in  Canada. 

Lawrence  Hotel,  Montreal, 

Same  to  the  same.  September  i3tk,  1877. 

My  dearest  Jessie, — I  am  not  sure  whether  it  is  your 
or  Ethel's  turn  for  a  letter,  but  in  any  case  I  fancy  you 
circulate.  My  last  was  from  the  White  Mountains  to 
Lucy.  Now  I  am  in  a  city,  the  great  mercantile  capital 
of  Canada.  I  have  seen  the  first  of  the  great  American 
rivers,  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  yesterday  I  shot  the  rapids 
of  Lachine.  That  certainly  is  a  most  astounding  per- 
formance. The  steamer  at  full  speed  goes  into  the  boiling 
waters,  three  stalwart  men  and  an  Indian  pilot  at  the 
helm,  with  faces  of  intense  anxiety,  for  they  know  that 
with  one  false  turn  the  ship  will  be  in  pieces.  You  feel  the 
ship  actually  fall  under  you  as  it  descends.  Rocks  every- 
where, ahead,  and  to  right  and  left,  not  distant,  but  so 


PARLIAMENTARY  WORK.  253 

close  that  contact  seems  inevitable.  Then  a  turn  of  the 
wheel,  and  the  steamer  winds  between  them,  only  to  face 
another  rock.  In  this  way  for  fifteen  minutes  the  steamer 
tosses  on  a  violent  sea,  so  that  you  have  to  hold  on  to 
rails  and  spars,  with  rocks  everywhere  apparently  touching 
the  sides.  I  would  not  have  missed  the  sensation  for 
anything.  Very  few  wTecks  take  place  now,  as  the  old 
Indian  pilot  has  such  nerve  and  keenness  of  eye. 

I  arrived  in  Montreal  without  a  single  letter  of  intro- 
duction and  alone,  for  Colonel  Holmes  is  visiting  some 
friends  for  a  few  days.  I  felt  desolate  in  this  huge  hotel, 
and  thought  how  sad  it  was  to  be  in  a  great  city  without  a 
friend.  Early  on  the  following  morning  (Saturday)  I  went 
to  the  post  for  letters,  and  found  two,  from  Edith  and 
Alice.  On  my  return  I  found  my  table  covered  with  cards 
and  invitations.  Though  I  only  arrived  at  9  p.m.  the 
previous  night,  the  papers  had  got  hold  of  my  arrival,  and 
published  accounts  of  my  life.  The  hospitality  has  been 
overwhelming.  Including  a  heavy  lunch  at  12  o'clock,  I 
had  to  go  to  three  dinners  and  a  supper  yesterday.  The 
President  of  the  Board  of  Trade  gave  me  a  lunch  and  one 
dinner,  and  the  President  of  the  Bank  a  supper,  with  thirty 
guests — a  most  elaborate  affair,  from  which  I  returned  at 
1.30  ;  no  end  of  speeches  and  compliments.  To-day  I  am 
to  dine  with  the  medical  men  of  the  city,  and  have  a  very 
hard  day  of  sight-seeing  before  me.  There  is  something 
strange  in  finding  when  you  cross  the  Atlantic  that  your 
name  is  as  familiar  among  strangers  as  in  your  own  land. 
Instead  of  exultation,  I  feel  deep  humiliation  that  I  have 
done  so  little  to  deserve  all  the  kindness  and  attention 
which  is  shown  me  in  America.  My  little  private  secre- 
tary, Edith,  writes  me  that  letters  have  come  from  you 
and  George,  but  she  has  forwarded  them  to  Niagara,  and  I 
shall  not  get  them  for  four  or  five  days.  I  was  afraid  of 
losing  them  en  route.  To-morrow  I  go  to  Ottawa  by  the 
river  of  that  name.  It  is  a  thousand  miles  long.  On 
Monday  I  hope  to  be  in  Toronto,  and  on  Wednesday  at 
Niagara.  Montreal  is  a  fine  city  with  its  churches  and 
public   buildings,    and  its   splendid    frontage   on    the   St. 


254  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Lawrence.  The  domes  and  roofs  are  covered  with  tin, 
and  glitter  strangely  in  the  fierce  sun.  Its  people  seem 
almost  the  most  hospitable  on  earth  from  my  limited 
experience  of  them. 

Play/air  to  Mrs  Oakes.  Washington,  October  yth,  1877. 

My  dear  Marion, — I  have  intended  frequently  to 
write  to  you ;  but  my  intentions  have  relegated  them- 
selves to  the  region  of  postponed  good  deeds.  I  do  not 
know  whether  Jessie  and  George  have  kept  you  acquainted 
with  my  wanderings,  but,  in  American  parlance,  I  have  had 
an  uncommonly  "  good  time  "  of  it.  In  the  first  place,  I 
have  never  felt  so  well  in  travel  as  I  have  in  America.  In 
fact,  I  have  rarely  felt  as  well.  Then  everybody  has  con- 
spired to  spoil  me.  The  kindness  and  hospitality  of  the 
people  is  unbounded.  The  fact  of  being  English  is  a  pass- 
port in  itself ;  but  the  additional  fact  of  having  any  kind  of 
reputation  as  a  public  man  opens  all  doors.  At  Washington 
the  President  and  all  the  Ministers  have  been  especially 
civil,  and  I  have  enjoyed  this  place  much.  But  nothing 
more  than  last  night,  when  the  astronomers  invited  me  to 
look  at  Saturn  and  Mars  through  the  great  26-inch  tele- 
scope which  lately  discovered  the  two  satellites  of  Mars. 
Saturn  was  absolutely  glorious  with  his  belt  and  moons. 
Mars  showed  his  lofty,  snow-clad  mountains  at  the  Pole, 
and  that  wondrous  black  spot  to  the  right  of  his  centre. 

I  thought  of  you  at  the  mammoth  caves  of  Kentucky, 
and  wished  you  were  thereto  enjoy  them.  You  might  not 
have  liked  the  entrance  swarming  with  bats,  but  the 
interior  is  marvellous.  In  the  eighteen  miles'  walk  under- 
ground there  is  perpetual  change.  Lofty  caverns,  then 
more  passages  through  which  you  must  walk  nearly  double, 
rivers  and  waterfalls,  make  such  delightful  variations  that 
you  forget  the  fatigue  of  the  excursion. 

The  Alleghany  Mountains  form,  at  this  season,  the  most 
exquisite  scenery  one  can  imagine.  They  are  wooded  to 
their  top  and  base,  and  with  such  wondrous  tints  of  green, 
brown,  scarlet,  bright  yellow,  and  ochre,  that  continual 
bursts  of  pleasure  escape  from  you.     At  the  foot  of  the 


PARLIAMENTARY  WORK.  255 

Alleghanies  we  nearly  lost  our  lives  in  a  hurricane  and 
flood  ;  and  I  am  sorry  this  incident  mars  my  impression  of 
the  exquisite  scenery  through  which  we  passed.  It  was  a 
dark  night,  and  had  our  train  gone  a  few  yards  further 
before  noticing  distant  danger  signals  on  the  line,  we 
should  have  been  precipitated  into  a  chasm  no  feet  deep, 
for  the  supports  of  the  bridge  had  been  swept  away  by  the 
floods. 

I  am  waiting  for  a  carriage  to  call  to  take  me  to  church, 
where  700  lunatics  of  Washington  will  be  present.  The 
Government  have  detailed  the  Minister  of  Education, 
General  Eaton,  to  look  after  me ;  and  he  is  the  most 
energetic  of  human  beings,  and  never  lets  me  rest  a 
moment  without  sightseeing.  I  have  never  time  for 
dulness,  and  my  nice  American  family,  the  Russells,  do 
not  allow  me  to  feel  away  from  home,  for  I  have  daily 
letters  from  some  of  them.     Love  to  Sarah  and  Tom. 

Ever  affectionately  yours, 

Lyon  Playfair. 

Play  fair  to  his  So7l.  Washington,  B.C., October  7th,  1877. 

My  dear  George, — I  wrote  Ethel  a  long  letter 
describing  my  arrival,  and  how  you  were  within  one 
minute  of  losing  your  father.  I  also  told  her,  I  think,  how 
kindly  I  was  received  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  and  by  his  various  Ministers  ;  but  now,  while  it  is 
fresh  in  my  mind,  I  want  to  tell  you  what  a  strange 
Sunday  I  have  passed.  The  State  Lunatic  Asylum  sent 
me  an  invitation  to  dinner  to-day,  with  a  request  that  I 
would  attend  evening  service.  St.  Elizabeth  Asylum  is 
beautifully  situated  on  a  hill  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Potomac  from  Washington,  which  spreads  in  a  grand 
panorama  before  it.  There  are  700  patients  of  all  classes, 
but  the  bulk  consists  of  old  soldiers,  most  of  them — in 
their  own  estimation — of  exalted  rank.  One  German 
came  up  to  me  and  told  me  he  was  a  General 
Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Army,  and  Surgeon  to 
the  Metropolitan   Police.      I  enclose   his   card  which  he 


256  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

handed  me.  He  told  me  he  wrote  poetry  in  four 
languages,  and  presented  me  with  a  French  'Ode  on 
Winter,'  which  I  enclose.  Another  mighty  gentleman  was 
strutting  about  in  a  flowery  dressing-gown,  and  welcomed 
me  to  America  because  he  was  perpetual  President  of  the 
United  States,  elected  for  life  at  the  last  Census.  He  was 
in  doubt  whether  he  should  welcome  me,  or  order  my 
head  to  be  cut  off  in  punishment  of  the  English  war  of 
18 12,  but,  seeing  I  wore  spectacles,  he  determined  to 
pardon  me.  The  religious  service  was  conducted  with 
great  decorum,  and  the  music  was  good. 

In  coming  back  from  the  Asylum,  I  passed  a  negro 
camp  for  worship,  and  I  got  out  of  the  carriage  and  joined 
the  congregation.  It  looked  like  a  sort  of  fair,  with 
booths  and  eating  and  drinking  going  on  ;  but  in  one  part 
was  a  tent  where  the  religionists  performed,  one  side  being 
open  to  the  congregation,  which  sat  on  benches,  or  stood 
in  the  open  air.  About  seven  or  eight  hundred  negroes 
were  present,  some  well  and  smartly  dressed,  and  others 
very  like  our  street  minstrels.  The  sermon,  probably 
No.  50,  for  the  affair  had  been  going  on  all  day,  was 
ending  as  I  entered — indeed,  it  was  ended  by  a  stalwart 
negro  woman  beginning  to  jump  frantically.  Each  leap 
seemed  to  be  a  yard  in  height,  and  she  continued  at  this 
saltatory  exercise  for  about  five  minutes  without  uttering 
a  sound.  The  congregation  became  excited,  and  swayed 
sideways  like  a  pendulum,  with  a  monotonous  cadence. 
The  jumping  woman  at  last  fell  down  exhausted,  and  then 
began  to  groan  horribly.  The  lot  of  darkies  knelt  round 
her,  and  began  to  sing  at  the  top  of  their  voices,  "The 
Lord  is  God,  let  Him  raise  her  :  the  Lord  lift  her  up, 
Hallelujah  !  The  Lord  Him  very  strong  and  mighty,  He 
will  raise  her,  Amen.  Hallelujah  ! "  This  went  on  for  a 
long  time,  and  ultimately  the  fat  woman  got  up  ;  and,  as 
a  respectable  and  quiet  negro  who  saw  me  interested  ex- 
plained, "Because  the  devil  kept  her  down;  but  the  mighty 
Lord  overcame  the  devil,  and  she  stood  straight."  This 
was  a  triumphant  moment,  and  made  about  a  dozen  negroes 
intensely  mad.     They  began  to  jump  and  sing  and  clap 


PARLIAMENTARY  WORK.  257 

their  hands  with  frantic  violence,  shouting  out  religious 
ejaculations.  All  that  I  could  distinguish  were  the 
following : — "  The  Lord  is  mighty  to  save  the  nigger, 
Hallelujah  !  The  Lord  Christ  saves  the  nigger,  Amen  ! 
The  Lord  don't  differ  between  white  and  black,  Hallelu- 
jah !  He  strikes  the  devil  with  a  bang,  Hallelujah  ! "  and 
so  on.  But  the  effect  was  extraordinary.  These  lunatics 
went  dancing  and  clapping  their  hands  all  through  the 
congregation.  Some  of  the  old  negroes  looked  on  with 
solemn  faces  of  profound  interest,  others  joined  in  the 
dance  and  whirled  about  screaming  and  gesticulating,  until 
the  whole  camp  became  so  excited  that  I  thought  it  better 
to  be  off,  as  some  of  the  negro  women  looked  as  if  they 
would  favour  me  with  their  ecstatic  embraces.  The  whole 
affair  is  the  dancing  epidemic  of  the  Middle  Ages  still 
existing  among  the  negroes.  I  thought  all  this  had  died 
out,  but  it  is  still  to  be  found  among  the  old  slaves. 
Many  of  the  negroes  now  deprecate  this  excited  worship, 
and  have  become  quiet  and  orderly  citizens.  You  see  as 
well-dressed  black  men  and  women  in  Washington  as 
among  the  whites  ;  but,  as  this  city  was  a  great  centre  of 
the  slave  trade,  there  is  the  residue  of  negroes  demoralised 
by  slavery,  and  this  camp  had  been  set  up  by  this  class. 

Lafayette  College, 
Play/air  to  his  Daughter.  October  12th,  1877. 

My  dearest  Jessie, — I  have  had  such  a  busy  day. 
The  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Railway  gave  me  an 
express  train  all  to  myself  for  about  170  miles  in  all,  to 
enable  me  to  see  the  anthracite  coal  region,  and  to  bring 
me  here.  At  the  coal  mines  they  had  a  champagne 
dinner  to  welcome  me,  and  I  was  much  interested  in 
seeing  their  mines.  I  reached  the  college  about  seven 
o'clock,  had  supper,  and  was  introduced  to  about  twenty 
professors.  About  eleven  o'clock  I  heard  a  drum  out- 
side, which  was  soon  followed  by  a  band.  About  300 
students  had  formed  a  torchlight  procession  to  give 
me  a  welcome  and  serenade.  The  band  had  lamps  in 
their  caps,  and  these,  with  torches,  made  a  pretty  display. 

R 


258  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

They  played  several  tunes,  and  sang  college  glees,  and  I 
was  obliged  to  go  out  and  make  a  speech.  The  President 
and  professors  knew  nothing  about  this  serenade,  which 
they  assured  me  the  students  had  got  up  extemporaneously 
on  hearing  of  my  arrival.  You  will  see  that  if  I  am  not 
spoilt,  it  will  not  be  the  fault  of  the  Americans,  who  heap 
all  sorts  of  kindness  upon  me.  I  was  much  touched  by 
the  students'  welcome,  as  it  reminded  me  so  much  of  my 
college  days  in  Germany.  This  is  a  sort  of  typical  college 
where  Americans  of  moderate  means  can  study  at  about  £do 
or  £70  per  annum.  They  know  how  to  cheer  as  well  as 
the  English  do,  and  at  the  end  of  each  cheer  there  was  a 
sort  of  refrain  of  "  La-fay-ette  "  converted  into  an  additional 
cheer.  You  may  form  some  idea  of  the  students'  procession 
by  the  enclosed  vignette  of  the  students  in  front  of  the 
college  on  another  occasion.  I  also  enclose  an  excellent 
likeness  of  my  host,  President  Cottell.  He  once  breakfasted 
with  us  in  Edinburgh.  He  is  as  pleasant  as  he  looks 
in  his  portrait.  I  was  so  pleased  yesterday  to  hear  of 
Lucy.     I  hope  by  this  time  the  dear  girl  has  recovered. 

The  reference  at  the  close  of  the  foregoing  letter  was  to 
the  wife  of  his  son,  Major,  now  Lord,  Playfair.  Within  a 
few  hours  of  writing,  Playfair  received  the  sad  intelligence 
of  her  sudden  death. 

Albany,  New  York  County, 
Same  tO  the  Same.  October  igth,  1877. 

My  dearest  Jessie, — The  brief  news  of  dear  Lucy's 
death  upset  me  much,  and  I  look  with  great  anxiety  for 
your  next  telegram.     .     . 

I  really  scarcely  know  what  has  happened  to  me  since 
this  day  week,  when  I  got  the  telegram  of  Lucy's  death, 
for  I  have  been  so  stunned  by  it.  I  know  only  that  for 
the  last  three  days  I  have  been  staying  with  some  good 
Samaritans,  the  Sargents,  on  the  Hudson  River,  which  is  as 
beautiful  as  the  Rhine.  They  are  friends  of  the  Russells', 
who  wrote  to  them  to  take  me  to  their  house,  and  they 
were  exceedingly  kind  and  sympathetic  with  me.     They 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  259 

took  me  to  see  the  celebrated  Ladies'  College  at  Pough- 
keepsie.  Here  three  hundred  young  ladies  are  going 
through  a  regular  University  education.  At  the  Observa- 
tory I  found  six  really  beautiful  girls  working  with  the 
telescope,  which  they  manage  excellently.  I  lunched  at 
the  College,  and  as  some  of  the  young  ladies  took  a  fancy 
to  me,  I  was  invited  to  their  rooms,  and  saw  the  whole 
economy  of  the  establishment.  The  Lady  Principal  assured 
me  that  no  visitor  had  ever  been  invited  by  the  young 
ladies  in  this  way  on  any  previous  occasion.     The  medical 

attendant  was  a  Dr  W ,  a  nice-looking  widow,  and  it 

was  funny  to  hear  her  always  addressed  as  "  Dr."     The 

lady  teachers  were  called  "  Professor  " — Professor  M , 

etc.,  being  all  in  petticoats.  The  teaching  and  its  results 
were  very  good,  and  I  did  not  see  a  single  prig  among  the 
young  ladies.  To-morrow  I  go  to  the  Russells',  and  shall 
probably  stay  with  them  till  it  is  time  to  join  my  steamer 
at  New  York  on  the  3rd  November. 

Immediately  on  his  return  to  England  from  this  first  event- 
ful visit  to  the  States,  Playfair  found  himself  involved  in  the 
public  labours  which  engrossed  his  attention.  Having  been 
appointed  a  member  of  the  Universities  Commission,  he 
had  to  go  to  Edinburgh  in  the  company  of  Huxley  and 
Froude,  to  transact  business  in  connection  with  it.  From 
Edinburgh  he  had  to  travel  to  Liverpool  to  address  a  great 
meeting  on  the  subject  of  Female  Education,  and  from 
Liverpool  he  was  called  back  to  London  by  his  duties  as 
Chairman  of  the  Finance  Committee  of  the  English  Com- 
missioners for  the  Paris  Exhibition.  The  reader  has  seen 
how  fully  his  position  as  a  useful  servant  of  the  public  was 
recognised,  even  in  remote  places  in  Canada  and  the  United 
States.  At  home  also  he  met  from  time  to  time  with 
similar  recognitions  that  touched  him  deeply.  The  follow- 
ing letter  referring  to  the  Liverpool  engagement  of  which  I 
have  spoken,  is  a  specimen  of  the  rewards  he  occasionally 
received  for  his  life-longf  services  in  the  cause  of  education. 


260  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

i8,  Prince's  Gardens,  London, 

Mr  Rathbone  to  Play/air.  January  18th,  1878. 

Dear  Dr  Playfair, — I  hope  a  couple  of  small  boxes 
of " eyitre-actos"  (excuse  my  deficiency  in  Spanish)  will 
reach  you  in  safety,  and  hold  me  in  fragrant  remembrance 
with  you,  as  you  certainly  will  be  held  in  grateful  remem- 
brance in  Liverpool  without  any  such  reminders,  especially 
by  the  poor  girls  whose  cause  you  have  assured.  I  am 
writing  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Council  to  confirm  what  I 
hinted  at  the  meeting.  I  have  told  him  that  I  will  give 
this  year,  next  year  and  the  year  after,  a  Scholarship  for 
girls,  each  to  be  held  for  three  years,  and  to  be  called  "  The 
Play  fair  Scholarships  ;  "  and  if  they  are  found  as  successful 
as  I  hope  they  will  be,  I  shall  hope  to  continue  them 
should  life  and  prosperity  last.  Once  commenced,  I  have 
no  doubt  they  will  be  followed  up  by  others,  so  in  this  you 
will  have  some  material  guarantee  that  your  very  great 
kindness  in  coming  to  us  at  such  a  busy  time  will  not  have 
been  thrown  away. 

Believe  me, 

Yours  faithfully, 

W.  Rathbone. 

The  work  connected  with  the  Paris  Exhibition  took  him 
to  the  French  capital  more  than  once  during  this  year, 
1878.  He  was  as  usual  one  of  the  leading  spirits  in  con- 
nection with  the  business  of  the  English  section.  His 
experience,  greater  than  that  of  any  other  man  in  the 
management  of  these  huge  international  shows,  was  laid 
under  contribution,  not  only  in  connection  with  the  purely 
English  portion  of  the  Exhibition,  but  by  outlying  parts  of 
the  Empire  ;  and  the  following  letter  from  the  Canadian 
Prime  Minister,  Mr  McKenzie,  shows  that  his  visit  to 
Canada,  and  the  hospitalities  showered  upon  him  there, 
quickly  bore  fruit  in  the  shape  of  work  for  the  Canadian 
Dominion. 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  26 1 

The  Hon.  A.  McKenzie  to  Play  fair.    Ottawa,  May  12th,  1878. 

My  dear  Mr  Playfair, — I  duly  received  your  very 
welcome  letter  written  from  Paris  concerning  our  work  at 
the  Exhibition.  I  hope  you  will  not  be  displeased  at  my 
giving  your  letter  to  the  Press.  I  knew  it  would  afford 
our  people  so  much  pleasure  to  know  what  you  thought  of 
their  efforts  to  make  a  creditable  appearance  at  this  gather- 
ing of  nations,  that  I  was  tempted  into  publishing  your 
note.  The  "trophy"  was  a  second  thought,  consequent 
on  His  Royal  Highness's  invitation  to  Canada  to  occupy 
that  particular  space.  I  could  not  refuse  the  invitation  of 
so  good  a  friend  as  he  has  always  proved  to  Canada  since 
his  visit  to  us  eighteen  years  ago.  We  had  too  little  time, 
however,  to  do  what  we  would  have  liked  to  do,  and  I  am 
all  the  more  gratified  to  know  you  like  its  appearance.  I 
had  a  good  map  made  of  British  America  for  the  Exhibi- 
tion, which  you  have  not  yet  seen,  as  it  would  only  reach 
Paris  after  you  wrote.  I  would  be  glad  if  you  would  see  it 
on  your  next  visit.  It  is  the  first  really  good  map  we  have 
had  made,  and  I  hope  it  may  attract  some  attention  at 
least  to  the  size  of  Canada. 

I  trust  that  the  danger  of  immediate  war  (with  Russia) 
is  over.  The  political  situation  causes  us  much  anxiety 
here,  as  the  hordes  of  idle  Irish  Fenians  in  the  United 
States  are  only  waiting  the  outbreak  of  war  to  make  a 
series  of  raids  over  our  long  frontier.  We  are  compelled 
even  now  to  make  much  silent  preparation  in  moving 
munitions  of  war  to  convenient  places,  and  also  in  making 
arrangements  for  calling  out  our  active  militia.  I  need 
not  say  how  much  I  shall  be  gratified  to  hear  from  you 
when  convenient.  Yours  tmly> 

A.  McKenzie. 

Play/air  to  his  Daughter.      .   athen.^um  Club,  June  1st,  1878. 

My  dearest  Jessie, — I  had  a  charming  dinner  last 
night  at  Dean  Stanley's.  The  Crown  Prince  and  Crown 
Princess,    Mr   Kinglake,    George    Eliot,    Mr   Morley,    Mr 


262  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Froude,  Lord  and  Lady  Ripon,  Mr  G.  H.  Lewes,  Anthony 
Trollope,  Sir  Garnet  and  Lady  Wolseley,  Captain  Burnaby, 
Mr  and  Mrs  Goschen  were  of  the  party.  You  will  see  I 
was  charmingly  placed  next  the  Crown  Princess,  and  had 
long  talks  with  her,  as  well  as  with  George  Eliot,  whom  I 
took  down  to  dinner,  and  with  the  Dean,  who  is  always  a 
delightful  companion.  The  Crown  Princess  continually 
broke  into  ejaculations,  and  said  she  thought  I  was  little 
older  than  I  was  in  1851 — a  very  comfortable  assurance, 
for  I  am  just  turned  sixty.  I  enjoyed  my  dinner  ex- 
ceedingly. I  would  put  a  white  chalk  mark  against  the 
day  had  there  not  been  so  many  disasters  in  it.  Three 
men  died  whom  I  knew  well  :  Russell  Gurney,  Mr  W. 
Martin  (who  died  actually  within  the  House  of  Commons), 
and  Mr  Tait,  a  son  of  the  Archbishop,  whose  acquaintance 
I  made  in  the  Russells'  house  at  Xahant.  I  start  by  the 
Baron  Osy  for  Antwerp  to-morrow,  and  hope  to  get  to  my 
destination,  Duren,  at  the  base  of  the  Eiffel  mountains,  on 
Tuesday. 

It  was  in  the  autumn  of  this  year  that  Playfair,  who 
had  been  working  with  his  usual  energy  at  his  public  and 
private  business  throughout  the  summer,  proceeded  to 
America  on  a  more  important  errand.  He  was  married 
on  October  3rd  to  Miss  Edith  Russell,  of  Boston,  to  whom 
he  had  become  engaged  since  his  former  visit.  I  am  per- 
mitted to  make  some  extracts  from  his  correspondence 
with  Miss  Russell  and  her  family  prior  to  his  marriage. 

House  of  Commons,  January  18th,  1878. 

As  I  am  waiting  for  a  division  likely  to  come  on  at 
1  a.m.,  I  may  as  well  write  to  you  from  this  place,  which 
outsiders  call  "the  best  club  in  London."  My  regular 
hours  are  ended  now  for  the  season,  I  fear.  My  Liverpool 
visit  was  a  great  success.  St.  George's  Hall  was  crowded. 
In  the  evening  the  Mayor  gave  me  a  State  dinner  in  the 
Mansion  House,  and,  besides  the  Council,  had  about 
seventy  of  the  leading  citizens.     The  bill  of  fare  and  toasts 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  263 

at  the  dinner  may  amuse  you,  so  I  send  it.  But  what 
pleased  me  most  of  all  was  that  after  my  advocating 
scholarships  for  girls,  the  Member  of  Parliament  for  Liver- 
pool arose  and  founded  three  scholarships  of  £20  a  year 
each,  to  be  called  "  The  Lyon  Playfair  Scholarships."  This 
was  a  real  delight  to  me,  for  I  think  women  are  very 
hardly  treated  in  their  chance  of  intellectual  advance- 
ment. I  stayed  three  days  at  Mr  Rathbone's  very 
pleasantly,  only  we  had  forty  at  dinner  each  day,  and  I 
had  to  make  three  speeches  on  the  Eastern  Question  besides 
the  educational  one. 

January  2yd,  1878. 

We  are  in  great  tension  here  as  to  the  chances  of  peace. 
The  Russian  Emperor's  courier  is  expected  to  arrive  to-night 
with  the  conditions  to  be  accorded  to  the  Turks,  and  upon 
this  will  depend  the  position  which  England  takes  in  the 
Eastern  complication.  You  are  happy  in  being  outside 
those  influences  which  are  ready  to  plunge  all  Europe  into 
war  if  Gladstone  does  not  inspire  wisdom  in  the  rulers  of 
our  different  nationalities.  My  American  mania  still  lasts, 
and  is  kept  up  by  my  friend,  the  American  Minister,  Mr 
Welsh,  coming  up  frequently  to  my  rooms,  while  several 
Members  of  Parliament  smoke  cigarettes,  although  he  is 
too  virtuous  to  join.  In  my  hotel  we  have  nearly  a  dozen 
Members  of  Parliament,  several  of  whom  I  know  exceed- 
ingly well — the  others  only  slightly.  I  spent  last  Saturday 
and  Sunday  with  my  friend  Grant  Duff,  in  a  quaint  old 
house  in  Twickenham,  where  Queen  Anne  was  born,  the 
great  Lord  Clarendon  lived,  and  the  Comte  de  Paris  dwelt 
for  twenty  years.  I  do  not  know  whether  Queen  Anne's 
ghost  visited  me  or  not  in  the  night,  but  I  certainly  felt 
something  moving  under  my  pillow,  and  on  striking  a  light 
I  found  a  big  black  cat.  This  may  have  been  a  trans- 
mogrification of  Her  Majesty,  so  I  treated  it  with  great 
respect,  and  politely  opened  the  door  for  its  escape.  Sir 
James  Stephen,  the  celebrated  historical  lawyer,  was  at 
York  House,  and  we  had  many  stories,  some  of  which  you 
would  have  enjoyed. 


264  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

January  30th,  1878. 

Since  I  last  wrote  my  private  life  has  been  uneventful. 
Last  Sunday  I  spent  with  Sir  John  Lubbock  at  High 
Elms.  .  .  .  We  had  two  very  agreeable  days,  for  I  am  very 
fond  of  the  Lubbocks,  and  I  think  they  like  me.  The 
Spottiswoodes  were  there,  and  Mr  Minto,  editor  of  '  The 
Examiner.'  But  private  affairs  are  very  trifling  in  import- 
ance compared  with  our  great  political  crisis.  The 
country  seems  to  be  drifting  into  war,  and  I  am  very 
unhappy.  I  believe  all  this  might  have  been  avoided  had 
our  rulers  been  more  wise.  There  seems  to  be  a  marked 
apprehension  of  the  aggressiveness  of  Russia.  I  wish 
England  could  pluck  out  the  beam  from  her  own  eye 
before  looking  for  the  mote  in  her  brother's  eye.  It  is  true 
that  Russia  in  the  last  hundred  and  thirty  years  has  won 
by  conquest  1,200,000  square  miles  of  territory,  containing 
15,000,000  of  inhabitants.  But  England  during  the  same 
period  has  won  by  conquest  2,300,000  square  miles,  con- 
taining 250,000,000  of  population.  I  have  supplied  these 
figures  to  Bright  to-night,  and  I  hope  he  may  use  them 
with  effect  in  his  speech.  For  myself,  I  confine  my 
speeches  to  subjects  connected  with  the  social  progress  of 
the  people.  And  though  tempted  on  occasions  like  this  to 
go  out  of  my  self-restricted  circle,  I  do  not  do  so.  .  .  . 
I  wish  that  I  had  imitated  Mrs  C.'s  example,  and  stayed  at 
the  Brunswick  instead  of  coming  home.  For  all  the  good 
I  am  doing  to  any  human  being,  I  might  have  pleased  my- 
self to  this  extent,  although  I  fear  my  Bostonian  friends 
would  have  become  disillusioned  in  regard  to  me,  and  have 
found  out  that  I  was  no  better  than  the  most  ordinary  clay 
of  which  all  men  are  said  to  be  fashioned,  though  in  a 
chemical  sense  I  do  not  know  where  the  clay  is. 

Buckingham  Palace  Hotel,  February  6th,  1S78. 

I  have  been  very  lazy  this  morning,  for  I  did  not  get 
home  till  1.30,  and  I  am  punished,  for  instead  of  having 
only  twenty  letters  as  usual  to  answer  in  the  morning,  my 
bad  luck  has  brought  me  forty-six,  so  you  see   I  cannot 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  265 

write  to  you  at  much  length.  Gladstone  gave  last  night 
one  of  the  most  eloquent  speeches  I  have  ever  heard,  even 
from  him,  but  I  fear  it  will  have  little  effect  in  producing 
harmony.  All  the  best  speaking  in  this  debate  has  been  on 
our  side,  but  the  division  will  be  120  at  least  of  a  majority 
against  us.  My  own  impression  is  that  the  Liberals  will 
not  come  into  power  again  for  eight  or  ten  years.  We 
have  too  many  divided  opinions  to  form  a  solid  party. 
For  myself,  I  have  no  wish  to  enter  into  office,  as  this  is  a 
severance  from  a  great  amount  of  useful  work  which  one 
can  render  to  the  public  in  the  ordinary  routine  of  duty. 
Would  you  like,  for  instance,  to  know  the  callers  who  have 
been  with  me  already  this  morning  and  their  objects  ?  It 
is  now  11.30  a.m. 

(a)  Two  persons  called  before  9.30,  but  I  was  not  up, 
and  they  postponed  till  to-morrow. 

{b)  The  accountant  of  the  French  Exhibition,  to  go  over 
the  accounts  for  January  and  the  estimates  for 
February.     I  signed  a  cheque  for  .£500. 

(c)  The  secretary  of  the  Royal  Albert  Hall,  to  discuss 

the  general  policv,  and  to  arrange  for  the  annual 
meeting  of  shareholders  next  week,  at  which  I 
take  the  chair. 

(d)  The   solicitor  of  the   City   Companies,  to   consider 

proposals   for  advancing  Technical  Education  in 
the  City. 
(e)  Sir  John  Lubbock,  to  persuade   me   to  go  on  the 
Direction    of  the   Telephone    Company    (I   had 
already  declined  to  be  Chairman). 

This  will  give  you  an  idea  how  a  Member  of  Parliament 
must  not  be  idle,  even  if  he  is  not  in  office.  I  find  my 
hours  quite  few  enough  to  get  through  one's  duty  credit- 
ably. But  I  always  find  time  for  pleasant  memories  of  my 
friends  in  Boston,  and  never  forget  them. 

February  14///,  1878. 

In  about  an  hour  I  am  going  to  the  hotel  to  put  on  my 
blue  and  gold  uniform,  to  dine  with  the  Speaker.  He  gives 
a  dinner  to-night  to  all  the  members  of  the  late  Ministrv, 


266  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

and  afterwards  has  a  full-dress  reception.  Last  night  I 
dined  with  Mr  Goschen,  late  First  Lord  of  the  Admiralty. 
We  had  various  officers  there  who  had  just  come  from  the 
Dardanelles.  As  our  fleet  is  said  to  have  received  orders 
to  force  its  way  to  Constantinople  in  spite  of  the  Turks 
firing  on  the  ships,  their  information  was  very  interesting. 
Of  course,  long  before  this  reaches  you,  the  telegraph  will 
tell  you  what  has  happened.  Here,  we  are  intensely 
anxious,  and  fear  that  war  now  can  scarcely  be  avoided. 
Alas  !  this  will  render  our  bad  commercial  state  much 
worse,  and  our  people  suffer  already  very  much.  I  do  not 
know  how  people  with  very  narrow  incomes  stand  the 
depressed  state,  for  all  our  regular  incomes  are  now  nearly 
one-third  below  their  usual  amounts.  There  are  some 
hundreds  of  coachmen  unemployed  in  London,  where  for- 
merly there  was  difficulty  in  getting  one,  and  houses  will 
not  let  at  all.  However,  luxury  was  too  great  in  London, 
and  a  more  economical  style  of  living  may  be  an  ultimate 
advantage.  ...  I  like  to  hear  of  all  your  club  books 
You  are  reading  much  more  than  myself  at  present,  for  I 
cannot  find  time  for  it.  My  two  last  books  might  be  too 
prosy  for  you — Sir  Erskine  May's  '  Democracy  in  Europe,' 
and  Lecky's  '  History  of  England  in  the  Eighteenth 
Century.' 

February  ijth,  1878. 

Our  anxieties  are  still  great  in  regard  to  Russia,  but  I  still 
fervently  hope  that  two  great  countries  will  not  be  so  idiotic 
as  to  go  to  war.  But  when  two  over-grown  lads  stand 
opposite  each  other,  shaking  their  fists  in  each  other's  faces, 
a  blow  may  come  at  any  time.  I  fear  that  there  is  a  large 
population  in  both  countries  that  would  welcome  war.  I 
am  sorry  to  say  that  the  House  has  decided  to  impose  upon 
me  the  hardest  and  most  responsible  work  of  the  Session 
connected  with  our  domestic  matters.  Manchester  has  a 
large  scheme  for  bringing  the  Lake  Thirlmere  from  Cum- 
berland to  Lancashire  for  the  purposes  of  manufacture.  It 
is  supposed  that  it  will  cost  at  least  twenty-five  millions 
of  dollars.  All  the  lovers  of  art  are  wild  at  the  alleged 
desecration  of  the  Lake  District,  which  Wordsworth  and 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  267 

Southey  have  made  dear  to  the  country  ;  but  Manchester, 
having  spent  already  half  a  million  dollars  in  preliminary 
arrangements,  insists  on  her  views  being  carried  out.  We 
had  one  day's  discussion  on  the  subject  in  the  House, 
which  is  excited  about  it  as  well  as  the  public.  It  was 
resolved  to  refer  it  with  powers  to  a  committee  of  nine. 
Four  of  the  committee  are  obliged  to  support  or  oppose 
the  scheme — that  is,  four  on  one  side  and  four  on  the  other. 
The  House  had  to  find  a  chairman  who  could  act  as  judge, 
and  give  the  casting  vote,  after  full  investigation  of  the 
case,  with  strict  impartiality.  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  it  has 
fixed  upon  me  to  be  that  unhappy  individual.  You  can 
fancy  me  sitting  for  the  next  two  months,  day  by  day, 
from  twelve  till  five,  in  a  committee  room  crowded  to 
suffocation.  Probably  twenty  counsel  with  gowns  and 
wigs  will  be  there,  examining  and  re-examining  witnesses. 
During  these  sittings,  every  man  is  trying  to  find  out  from 
looks,  expressions,  or  questions  asked,  to  which  side  the 
unhappy  chairman  leans.  As  honesty  is  punished  in  this 
way  I  think  I  shall  become  dishonest  and  partial,  and  then 
I  may  be  allowed  to  go  my  own  wonted  way.  As  there 
are  some  warm  hearts  at  135  that  will  think,  "  How  will 
his  health  stand  this  close  and  anxious  work  ? "  I  promise 
while  it  lasts  to  run  down  on  Friday  night  to  the  Granville 
Hotel  at  Ramsgate,  so  as  to  get  three  nights  of  sea  air, 
which  always  keeps  me  up  to  any  amount  of  work. 
Besides,  the  whole  thing  is  interesting  and  amusing.  The 
most  eminent  counsel  are  employed  on  each  side,  and  the 
unhappy  witnesses  give  one  an  unceasing  fund  of  amuse- 
ment. I  have  already  become  as  close  as  an  oyster. 
Bright,  Forster  and  others,  who  are  intensely  interested 
on  opposite  sides,  Bright  for  the  Manchester  scheme,  Forster 
violently  against  it,  have  been  trying  to  open  my  shell  to 
find  out  my  leanings ;  but  as  the  oyster  is  a  stupid  animal, 
they  have  not  been  able  to  discover  whether  he  has  any 
conceptions. 

February  21st,  1878. 

The  House  has  given  me  a  splendid  committee  to  work 
with,  so  I  am  in  good  spirits,  notwithstanding  the  prospect 


268  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

of  the  work  and  responsibility.  The  committee  consists 
of  Sir  John  Lubbock,  Lord  Eslington,  T.  Brassey,  Hon. 
T.  Bruce,  Mr  Rodwell,  Q.C.,  Mr  Knowles,  Sir  Ughtred 
Shuttleworth,  and  Mr  Salt,  Secretary  of  the  Board  of 
Trade.  It  is  usual  only  to  put  two  men  of  such  calibre  on 
a  committee,  but  every  man  on  mine  is  a  strong  one.  I 
hope  that  my  hand  is  strong  enough  to  drive  such  a  team. 
Last  night  we  had  our  great  dinner  (Edinburgh  University) 
to  the  Marquis  of  Hartington.  I  was  in  the  chair,  and 
about  one  hundred  and  thirty  Edinburgh  graduates  were 
present.  I  send  you  our  bill  of  fare,  to  see  what  a  Scotch 
dinner  is  composed  of.  It  went  off  very  well,  and  every- 
body seemed  pleased.  Froude,  the  historian,  and  Huxley 
made  capital  speeches.  Lord  Hartington  quite  entered 
into  the  spirit  of  it  when  I  proposed  his  health  as  "  our 
Rector  Magnificus." 

P.S. — I  have  just  got  your  nice  long  letter  of  the  5th 
and  7th,  enclosing  the  sketch  of  the  snow-blocked  house. 
I  can  scarcely  conceive  Boston  in  that  sort  of  guise,  for  I 
associate  it  with  its  smiling  gardens,  and  ponds  with  the 
swans  and  boats.  Our  peace  prospects  look  considerably 
better.  I  have  always  thought  that  if  there  is  a  peace, 
Disraeli  will  bring  on  a  dissolution  by  Easter  in  order  to 
get  another  lease  of  power.  If  my  constituents  choose  to 
elect  me  without  a  contest,  as  they  have  hitherto  done, 
or  carry  on  a  contest  at  the  expense  of  my  party,  I 
would  stand  again  ;  but  I  have  no  vehement  desire  at  all 
to  remain  in  Parliament,  and  I  certainly  will  not  spend 
,£2,000  in  a  contest  if  one  is  forced  upon  me.  It  would 
be  a  great  relief  to  find  that  one  could  go  anywhere  when 
a  little  change  of  air  is  required,  instead  of  being  tied  to 
London   by  incessant  engagements. 

The  Granville,  St.  Lawrence-on-Sea,  Ramsgate, 
Sunday,  March  3rd,  1878. 

This  will  not  go  till  Thursday  ;  but,  as  my  heavy  work 
begins  on  Tuesday,  I  must  be  satisfied  with  sending  you  a 
postscript  by  the  latest  post.  I  came  down  here  on 
Friday,  and  have  had  two  such  glorious  days.     The  sun 


PARLIAMENTARY  WORK.  269 

has  been  so  warm  that  it  was  impossible  to  put  on  the 
lightest  overcoat.  My  persistent  cold  has  all  but  gone, 
and  my  cheeks  are  what  the  'Montreal  Gazette'  called 
"  extremely  florid."  The  old  head  waiter,  who  has  just 
brought  this  paper,  claims  an  old  acquaintanceship.  He 
knew  me  at  an  eating-house  where  I  used  to  lunch  twenty 
years  ago  ;  but  he  said  he  did  not  recognise  me  for  some 
time,  because  I  looked  so  much  younger  and  better  than  I 
did  in  those  days  !  There  is  some  comfort  for  one's  self 
and  one's  friends.     .     .     . 

I  have  just  returned  from  seeing  a  wrecked  vessel 
hauled  in  by  a  Ramsgate  tug.  It  was  wrecked  in  that 
gale  in  which  I  was  in  the  Britannic.  The  crew 
abandoned  her  in  boats — why,  I  do  not  know.  She  is  a 
magnificent  three-masted  vessel,  a  German  ;  and,  beyond 
having  lost  her  top  masts,  seems  little  the  worse  of  her 
wrecking.  It  was  difficult  to  haul  her  off  from  the  shore, 
but  here  she  is  in  the  harbour  all  snug.  We  gave  the 
wreckers  three  cheers  on  their  success  as  they  came  into 
the  harbour.  Ramsgate  is  Ramsgate,  and  in  itself  not 
inviting.  The  shops  seem  all  for  shrimps  and  bread  and 
butter  with  washy  tea,  a  cup  of  which  I  tried. 

Sunday  evening.  Instead  of  going  to  the  church  behind 
the  hotel,  I  thought  I  would  like  to  walk  to  Broadstairs, 
about  two  and  a  half  miles  to  the  left,  fancying,  as  proved 
true,  that  I  would  get  a  quiet,  rural  church  there.  What  a 
glorious  walk  it  was  !  The  sea  quite  smooth,  the  sky  blue 
with  only  a  white  cloud  here  and  there,  the  whole  sea 
studded  with  ships,  and  the  cliffs  along  which  one  walked 
going  sheer  down  to  the  sea,  so  that  you  could  have 
dropped  a  plummet  into  it.  Broadstairs  is  a  quaint  old 
place  in  a  pretty  bay.  The  church  first  meets  your  eye 
above  the  houses  with  a  genuine  cock  as  a  weather-cock — 
none  of  your  mere  gilt  arrows.  Is  it  true  that  this  is  only 
the  third  of  bleak  March  ?  There  are  children  at 
Broadstairs  in  full  summer  enjoyment.  About  twenty  of 
them  have  made  a  circular  fortress  of  sand,  in  which  they 
sit  to  resist  the  advance  of  the  inexorable  tide.  The  sand 
of  the  walls  crumbles  away,  and  one  by  one  the  gallant 


2J0  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

boys  are  swept  out.  I  think  that  I  must  be  young  again, 
as  the  waiter  sa)rs,  for  I  enjoy  so  keenly  the  struggles  of 
one  boy,  who  heaped  sand  upon  sand  on  his  walls  long 
after  the  others  had  given  up,  and  when  the  sea  was  all 
round  him.  At  last,  down  came  his  structure,  and  his 
little  brother  burst  into  tears,  while  the  sea-warrior  took 
up  a  huge  flint  and  cast  it  at  the  sea  in  rage.  That  is  a 
fellow  to  put  on  board  a  man-of-war  like  the  Revenge  of 
Sir  Richard  Grenville,  when  he  fought  the  fifty-three 
Spanish  liners. 

March  6th,  1878. 

I  sit  daily  as  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  the 
Manchester  and  Thirlmere  scheme,  and  have  some  hopes 
that  we  may  get  through  it  in  a  month,  instead  of  two 
months,  as  we  expected.  All  the  room  is  hung  round 
with  huge  maps  of  the  districts  affected,  each  ten  feet 
square.  The  counsel,  Sir  Edmund  Beckett,  has  just 
finished  his  opening  speech,  and  as  yet  only  two  witnesses 
have  been  examined.  There  are  two  camps,  one 
utilitarian,  the  other  aesthetic.  One  argues  that  the  warm 
winds  of  the  Atlantic,  striking  the  high  mountains,  get 
chilled,  and  deposit  150  inches  of  rain  yearly  in  the  Lake 
District,  and  that  surely  these  great  Lakes  are  destined  for 
the  use  of  man,  and  ought  to  supply  the  large  towns. 
The  Atlantic  winds  are  common  property,  and  the 
accident  of  this  deposition  of  rain  cannot  make  it  belong 
to  a  single  locality.  The  others  say  beauty  is  so  rare  it 
should  be  preserved,  and  is  the  property  of  all  who  visit 
the  Lakes,  and  that  utility  has  nothing  to  do  with  it. 
The  Lakes  were  destined  to  minister  to  the  sense  of  the 
beautiful,  and  those  who  would  touch  them  are  Goths  and 
Vandals.  The  excitement  is  intense,  and  the  lawyers  are 
reaping  a  noble  harvest.  All  of  them  look  to  the  poor 
Chairman  only,  and,  if  his  attention  wander  for  a  moment, 
become  silent  till  he  listens.  The  strain,  therefore,  is 
heavy.  The  room  is  incessantly  crowded  with  comers  and 
goers,  who  come  in,  stare  at  the  Chairman,  and  speculate 
as  to  which  way  he  leans.  The  one  side  assume  that  he  is 
a   utilitarian,    and   cognisant    of    the    wants    of    modern 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  27 1 

civilisation.  The  other  side  recollect  that  he  was  once 
Secretary  of  the  Department  of  Art,  and  feel  sure  that  his 
love  of  the  beautiful  will  prevent  his  having  low-born, 
base,  mechanical  views.  Ruskin  was  the  leader  of  this 
section,  but  he  is  seriously  ill,  and  cannot  as  yet  attend 
the  Committee.  The  Chairman  is  a  goose,  and  has  no 
opinions,  but  cries,  "  Order  !  order  ! "  occasionally,  and 
puts  a  few  questions,  first  on  one  side  and  then  on  the 
other,  so  that  each  party  claim  me  as  a  supporter,  and  nod 
their  heads  approvingly  to  the  audience  sitting  behind  the 
counsel.  He  is  not  a  man  to  be  envied,  and  wishes 
himself  at  Jericho.  As  to  his  leanings,  he  has  never  told 
me,  so  I  cannot  tell  you.  All  I  know  is  that  there  is  a 
jolly  Parliamentary  fight,  and  that  some  time  or  other  he 
must  throw  up  the  glove. 

March  Sth,  1878. 

I  must  begin  my  letters,  at  least,  when  I  have  odd 
moments,  for  I  am  a  slave  at  the  galley  just  now.  I 
am  head  and  ears  over  in  Lake  Thirlmere,  and  may  be 
found  drowned  in  it  some  day.  As  I  suspected,  all  my 
Committee  have  betrayed  their  proclivities ;  but  mine — if 
I  have  any — are  still  a  mystery,  so  the  counsel  only  care 
for  me,  and  won't  give  me  a  moment  of  respite.  The 
room  becomes  insufferable,  and  I  turn  everybody  out  for 
ten  minutes  at  two  o'clock,  and  open  every  window.  In 
this  way  I  get  it  tolerably  healthy.  ...  I  have  little 
news  of  the  outer  world,  as  I  am  never  beyond  the  walls 
of  my  Committee  Room. 

Beach  House  Hotel,  Westgate-on-Sea, 
March  lyth,  1878. 

I  came  down  here  yesterday  as  an  experiment.  It  is 
about  twenty  minutes'  walk  from  Margate,  and  about  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  by  train  from  Ramsgate.  I  arrived 
yesterday  in  a  bleak  east  wind,  with  occasional  snow 
showers.  My  friend  Colonel  Bolton,  who  recommended 
the  hotel  to  me,  advised  me  not  to  go  without  telegraph- 
ing to  see  if  there  were  rooms,  as  it  was  such  a  favourite 
hotel.     I  determined  to  risk  it,  and  found  myself  the  only 


2J2  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

occupant  of  the  large  hotel.  A  man,  however,  came  in  to 
lunch.  He  had  a  hobby,  which  I  soon  found  out,  and  set 
him  on  a  trot.  He  was  honorary  secretary  of  a  society 
for  introducing  falconry  into  this  country  again.  What  a 
glorious  sport  this  was  !  And  the  nation  could  not  be 
happy  till  it  again  became  the  national  sport.  He  had 
come  here  to  look  at  the  marshland  to  see  if  there  were 
herons  enough  to  justify  him  in  bringing  down  his  hawks. 
Sea-gulls  there  are  in  abundance,  and  they  give  good  sport, 
for  the  sea-gull  (he  informed  me)  is  a  dodgy  bird,  and 
when  the  hawk  is  just  over  him  he  closes  his  wings,  drops 
fifteen  feet,  and  the  hawk  misses  him.  He  had  been  at 
the  Curragh  hawking  magpies.  That  is  fine  sport  indeed, 
for  the  magpie  takes  to  a  furze  bush,  and  the  hawk  hovers 
over  it  in  perplexity.  Then  the  hawker  goes  up  and 
cracks  his  whip,  the  magpie  flies  out,  and  the  hawk 
pursues  him.  Then  you  get  rabbits  :  you  kick  one  up, 
and  the  hawk  generally  gets  him  after  a  short  run.  "  Like 
all  Londoners,  I  know  you  by  sight,  Dr  Playfair.  Why 
do  you  waste  your  time  as  you  do  ?  Education,  sanitary 
matters,  and  Savings  Banks,  and  such  subjects  as  you  take 
up,  are  all  very  well,  but  any  novice  can  work  at  these. 
Come  and  be  vice-president  of  our  society  for  spreading 
the  noble  sport  of  falconry,  and  you  will  leave  a  name 
behind  you.  Now  do.  We  have  six  earls  and  four 
baronets  on  our  committee,  but  I  am  sure  they  will 
welcome  you."  But  I  thought  of  the  poor  magpie  and 
the  crack  of  the  whip,  and  I  was  ignoble  enough  to  decline 
the  proffered  honour.     .     .     . 

For  my  friends  at  home  and  for  a  few  dear  friends  over 
the  sea,  I  have  good  news,  namely,  that  the  Manchester 
and  Thirlmere  Committee  ends  this  week.  The  Man- 
chester people  have  squared  most  of  their  opponents,  and 
a  week  of  speechifying  on  the  part  of  counsel  will  exhaust 
the  subject.  I  think  the  Committee  will  pass  the  Bill. 
Lake  Thirlmere  is  a  small  lake  which  once  was  much 
larger,  but  it  wore  away  some  rock,  and  the  waters 
escaped.  These  degraded  parts  Manchester  intends  to  fill 
up  again,  and  thus  restore  the  lake  to  its  old  condition.     I 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  2?$ 

believe  this  can  be  done  with  an  increase  of  beauty,  and 
yet  the  waters  which  you  send  us — for  it  is  the  water  of 
the  Atlantic  coming  from  America  which  is  condensed  on 
these  islands — may  be  rendered  useful  for  a  great  city. 
At  least  such,  I  think,  will  be  my  judgment,  unless  the 
speeches  alter  my  views  of  the  facts.  .  .  . 

On  arriving  to-day  I  got  your  nice  long  letter  of  the  5th 
March.  Tell  Mrs  Sargent  that  both  your  and  Alice's 
letters  are  charming,  and  that  I  enjoy  them  exceedingly. 
They  refresh   a  poor   Londoner  with  good,  wholesome, 

American  air.     I  was  interested  to  hear  that  Mrs has 

joined  the  Church.  Not  that  I  think  God  cares  at  all  to 
what  church  we  belong,  or  that  we  are  the  better  or  worse 
for  professing  any  creed.  But  the  Church  of  England  has 
a  service  admirably  fitted  for  keeping  up  our  spiritual  life, 
and  therefore  I  love  it  beyond  all  other  churches,  except, 
indeed,  when  it  becomes  fantastic,  and  tells  you  that  God 
can  only  be  worshipped  by  orientation — that  you  must 
look  in  a  particular  way  when  you  say  the  Creed.  At  this 
my  old  Scotch  Presbyterian  training  rises  up  in  rebellion, 
and  I  find  that  I  have  a  good  deal  of  the  Puritan  left  in 
me.  'The  World'  which  you  got  is  a  paper  which  has 
established  itself  by  its  witty  personalities  in  "  Under  the 
Clock."  They  have  become  vulgar  lately,  but  formerly 
they  were  intensely  witty.  Once  I  spoke  from  below  the 
gangway,  sometimes  addressing  the  Government,  which  I 
was  opposing,  and  sometimes  turning  round  to  address  the 
Irish  members  behind  me.  '  The  World '  wittily  remarked 
that  "  this  little  man,  midway  between  England  and  Ire- 
land, looked  like  the  Isle  of  Man  lecturing  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland." 

High  Elms,  March  24th,  1878. 

This  Sunday  I  am  spending  with  Sir  John  and  Lady 
Lubbock,  who  are  always  glad  to  have  me  as  I  am  glad  to 
visit  them.  They  live  on  a  beautiful  estate  with  lovely 
woods.  This  afternoon  we  had  a  charming  walk  with 
violets  and  primroses  thick  under  our  feet.  It  was  a 
perfect  spring  day.  Now,  at  five  o'clock,  everything  is 
changed.     It  is  blowing  a  strong  gale,  and  snow  is  falling 

s 


274  MEMOIRS   OB"   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

so  fast  that  I  have  to  write  by  candle  light.1  This  is  the 
only  real  snowstorm  we  have  had  this  year.  I  have  fled 
from  the  drawing-room  to  escape  double  acrostics,  which 
try  my  intellect  and  temper  vexatiously.  When  I  last 
wrote  you,  I  congratulated  myself  that  the  famous  Com- 
mittee would  last  only  a  week.  The  week  is  past,  and 
the  minimum  time  of  hope  is  now  a  fortnight  more.  I 
had  hoped  we  might  conclude  by  the  14th,  when  our  Easter 
holidays  begin.  Of  course,  if  we  do  not,  it  will  be  post- 
poned till  these  are  over.  New  evidence  has  come  on, 
and  the  case  for  Manchester  is  worse  than  it  was.  Yester- 
day I  lunched  with  Lord  Granville.  He  tells  me  that 
Lord  Beaconsfield  states  to  Lady  B  .  .  .,  to  whom  he 
entrusts  all  his  secrets,  that  if  he  betted,  he  would  say  the 
chances  of  war  and  peace  were  quite  even.  This  is  idiotic 
when  there  is  nothing  to  fight  about.  But  if  war  ensue,  it 
will  serve  the  country  right  for  having  such  a  man  as 
Prime  Minister.  On  expressing  this  sentiment  to  a  dis- 
tinguished supporter  of  the  Government  in  the  House,  he 
remarked,  "  Come,  now,  that  is  too  bad ;  we  prefer  our 
scoundrel  to  your  maniac." 

Paris,  April  2gth,  1878. 

To-day  the  Prince  of  Wales  asked  me  to  breakfast  with 
him  at  12  o'clock  at  the  Cafe  de  la  Paix.  The  Duke  of 
Sutherland  and  some  French  dignitaries  and  artists  were 
also  there — twelve  in  all.  It  was  a  very  pleasant  party. 
I  made  them  laugh  very  much  by  reciting  my  experiences 
in  the  Washington  Lunatic  Asylum.  After  breakfast, 
about  3,  the  Prince  dismissed  his  guests,  and  asked  me  to 
join  him  in  the  carriage,  and  go  with  him  in  his  round  of 
calls.  He  had  a  one-horse  brougham,  and  no  servant,  so 
we  got  round  very  quickly  without  his  presence  being 
known.  We  have  only  two  days  in  which  to  get  the 
Exhibition  in  order — that  is,  to  convert  chaos  into  order. 
England  will  be  most  creditably  ready.  America,  I  am 
sorry  to  say,  is  far  behind.  Belgium  and  Holland  stand 
next  to  us  in  readiness,  but  France  and  the  other  States 

1  It  was  in  this  gale  that  Her  Majesty's  ship  Eurydice  foundered  off 
the  Isle  of  Wight. 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  275 

are  nowhere.  I  put  on  the  screw  very  hard  when  I  came  ; 
but  the  Prince,  Mr  Owen  (the  Executive  Commissioner), 
and  even  the  exhibitors,  all  now  admit  that  my  arbitrary 
proceedings  have  produced  the  desired  results. 

Paris,  May  2nd,  1878. 

Your  letter  of  the  15th  April  reached  me  to-day,  and  I 
was  very  glad  to  get  it  amid  the  excitement  of  the  Exhibi- 
tion. There  has  been  little  rest  for  me.  Some  nights  I 
have  been  up  till  three  in  the  morning,  and  up  again  at 
work  at  seven.  Yesterday  the  Exhibition  opened  with 
about  the  most  ill-arranged  ceremonial  I  ever  witnessed. 
In  the  middle  of  it,  a  thunderstorm  with  deluges  of  rain 
came  down,  and  the  ladies'  dresses  were  frightfully  damaged. 
Our  party  was  out  of  all  this,  for  I  had  asked  the  R  .  .  .  s 
to  the  Prince  of  Wales's  pavilion,  and  we  were  under 
cover.  When  the  procession  of  the  Marshal  and  Royal 
people  came  past,  followed  by  the  disorderly  suite,  they 
saw  everything  excellently  out  of  a  window  appropriated 
to  them.  I  took  Miss  R  ...  for  a  walk  in  the  building, 
and  I  think  her  little  Republican  feeling  was  astonished 
by  finding  all  the  sentinels  and  policemen  salute  us  as  we 
passed.  She  could  not  make  it  out.  It  was  in  reality  in 
compliment  to  the  decoration  of  Officer  of  the  Legion  of 
Honour  which,  among  others,  I  wore.  The  Exhibition 
will  be  a  fine  one  when  it  is  finished — indeed,  the  English 
section  is  very  fine  already.  The  pottery  especially  and 
the  Indian  collection  are  magnificent. 

Paris,  May  5th,  1878. 

This  is  the  last  letter  from  Paris,  for  I  intend  to  leave  to- 
morrow, thoroughly  tired  out  with  the  work  and  gaieties. 
On  Saturday  we  had  a  splendid  dinner  given  by  the  ex- 
hibitors to  the  Prince  of  Wales.  It  was  in  the  Grand  Room 
of  the  Louvre  Hotel.  There  was  a  cross  table  at  the  top 
for  the  dignitaries,  and  three  long  tables  down  the  hall. 
The  flowers,  plate,  and  decorated .  company  really  made  it 
a  splendid  repast.  I  had  pleasant  neighbours — the  Prefect 
of  Police,  Sir  Richard  Wallace,  the  great  art  collector,  and 


276  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

the  Duke  of  Sutherland.  Lord  Granville  presided,  and  the 
Prince  of  Wales  made  an  excellent  speech.  The  only 
unofficial  speakers  were  the  Prince,  Lord  Granville,  and 
your  obedient  servant.  I  proposed  the  British  exhibitors, 
who,  in  fact,  were  also  our  hosts.  I  do  not  like  public 
dinners  generally,  but  this  one  I  did  like,  for  the  Prince 
did  his  part  so  admirably,  partly  speaking  English  and 
partly  French.  ...  I  took  Princess  Louise  and  Lord 
Lome  through  the  Exhibition  to-day.  She  was  very 
pleasant  and  agreeable. 

May  31st,  1878. 

I  have  just  returned  from  the  most  charming  dinner 
at  Mr  Goschen's,  the  late  First  Lord  of  the  Admiralty. 
The  dinner  was  given  to  the  Crown  Prince  and  Princess  of 
Germany.  I  got  into  the  most  animated  conversation 
with  the  Princess  on  German  politics.  I  found  her  full  of 
her  old  Liberal  sentiments,  but  frightened  at  the  growth 
of  Socialism.  I  tried  to  convert  her  by  pointing  out  that 
Socialism  began  in  France  but  it  has  nearly  died  out,  and 
I  begged  her  to  read  Harrison's  article  on  the  subject  in 
the  last  '  Fortnightly.'  She  was  most  pleasant  and  friendly. 
We  had  many  friendly  reminiscences,  and  I  enjoyed  the 
dinner  much.  Though  I  took  George  Eliot  down  to  dinner, 
she  never  found  out  my  name  till  the  end.  Then  she 
became  gushing,  and  said  she  had  lost  the  evening,  and 
asked  me  to  go  and  see  her  often.  However,  we  had 
spoken  a  good  deal,  and  she  was  quite  as  clever  and  agree- 
able as  I  expected  to  find  her  from  her  novels.  She  was 
much  interested  with  some  of  my  American  experiences, 
especially  with  the  lunatic  lady  at  Washington  who  took 
me  in  so  completely. 

Hotel  de  Suede,  Brussels,  May  yd,  1878. 

I  started  yesterday  by  the  Baron  Osy  from  St.  Katharine's 
Wharf  at  12  o'clock.  I  am  very  fond  of  a  sail  down  the 
river  with  its  forests  of  masts.  Your  '  New  York  Herald  ' 
telegraphed  that  the  centre  of  a  great  cyclone  was  to  pass 


PARLIAMENTARY  WORK.  2JJ 

over  the  British  Islands  to-day,  but  we  had  a  lovely 
passage.  All  steamers  spoil  me.  I  had  a  beautiful  state 
cabin  reserved  for  me  at  the  usual  fare  of  24s.  There 
seemed  to  be  various  nice  passengers,  but  I  devoted  myself 
to  an  old  lady,  who  seemed  to  me  to  need  protection.  It 
turned  out  afterwards  that  she  was  not  alone,  for  her 
daughter  and  maid  were  both  ill  in  the  cabin  below.  A 
very  handsome  young  lady  appeared  this  morning  at 
6  o'clock,  when  we  reached  Antwerp,  and  thanked  me  for 
my  attention  to  her  mother.      She   was   the  Hon.   Mrs 

S ,  so  I  suppose  belonged  to  the  ducal  family.      I 

sometimes  make  mistakes  in  taking  compassion  on 
neglected  ladies.  Once  at  a  party  I  saw  an  old  lady  on  a 
sofa,  apparently  shunned  by  everybody,  so  I  went  and  sat 
down  beside  her,  and  we  got  quite  friendly.  I  found  that 
the   lady  upon   whom   I   had  taken  compassion  was  the 

Dowager  Duchess  of  B !     On  arriving  at  Antwerp, 

I  took  a  walk  before  breakfast,  saw  the  cathedral,  which 
they  are  repairing  excellently,  the  Calvary,  the  Church  of 
St.  Paul  with  its  fine  wooden  carvings,  and  the  house  of 
Rubens,  with  some  good  Vandykes,  one  of  which — the 
Virgin  and  Child — pleased  me  most.  Then  I  went  to  the 
hotel  to  breakfast,  and  taking  up  a  newspaper  was  shocked 
to  see  of  the  new  attempt  to  kill  the  German  Emperor. 
I  think  I  told  you  how  sad  the  Crown  Princess  was  about 
the  state  of  things.  She  said  there  were  two  great  causes 
of  anxiety,  and  they  were  undermining  the  situation — (1) 
Socialism,  and  (2)  the  dependence  of  all  Germans  on  the 
State.  This  attempt  at  murder  seems  to  have  come  from 
both  causes.  The  assassin  was  disappointed  because  he 
did  not  receive  an  appointment  from  the  State,  and  he 
attended  Social  Democratic  assemblies. 


ASCHERSLEBEN,  JuilC  Iltk,    1878. 

1  had  a  most  charming  excursion  in  the  Hartz  mountains 
after  early  service  on  Sunday.  We  took  a  carriage  and 
drove  fourteen  miles  into  the  chief  valley  of  the  mountains. 
Nothing  could  be  more  smilingly  beautiful  than  the  drive. 


278  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

The  whole  valley  is  carpeted  with  green,  and  the  mountains 
on  each  side  are  wooded  to  the  tops.     Birds  carol  right 
and  left  of  you,  and  huge  falcons  poise  over  the  forests, 
watching   for  their  prey.      On  the   top   of  the  hills  an 
occasional  castle  belonging  to  some  Graf  or  Herzog  just 
pushes  its  roofs  above  the  woods.    As  the  valley  proceeds 
there  are  resting-places  where  large  inns  have  grown  up, 
and  in  one  of  these  we  dined  at  a  table  d'hote  of  about 
forty  people.     I  sat  next  a  queer  old  man,  who  proved  to 
have  resided  thirty-five  years  in  the  valley  as  modeller  to 
some   ornamental   iron    works.      Well,  this   old   German 
artist   was   delighted   that  I  knew  his  modelling  through 
the  iron  work  at  my  friend's  home,  so  off  he  went  to 
the    Herr  Direktor   of  the  Works,    and  that  great    per- 
sonage asked  us  to  take  coffee  with  him.     His  wife  and 
children  were  very  nice  ;   the  latter,  two  boys  and  a  girl, 
took  possession  of  me,  and  showed  me  all  their  treasures. 
There   was   a   young   lady   who   talked   very  pleasantly, 
and    was    apparently    the    sister-in-law.     An   hour   later 
I   was   surprised  to  see   her  behind   the   counter  of  the 
shop  selling  their  iron  wares.     Then  we  drove  in  the  Herr 
Direktor' s  carriage  further  up   the   valley  through   some 
charming  scenery  until  we  came  to  a  Cur-Ort,  or  congre- 
gation of  hotels  and  saloons — a  sort  of  miniature  Homburg. 
It  was  amusing  to  see  the  patients  and  the  lovers.     One 
tall,  handsome  girl  was  walking  deliberately  through  the 
grounds  with  her  arm  around  her  betrothed's  waist,  while 
he  satisfied  himself  with  resting  his  elbow  on  her  shoulders 
and  smoking  a  huge  pipe.     Another  young  lady,  in  green 
velvet  and  very  open  dress,  with  an  "idiot  fringe"  on  her 
brow,  was  smoking  a  cigarette  while  her  adorer  lay  at  her 
feet  playing  with  the   huge   buckles  of  her  shoes.     The 
whole  scene  was  very  German,  and  amused  me  exceedingly, 
and  so  I  send  it  you,  with  much  love  to  my  Nahant  friends. 

WOHLFAHRT,  Julie   l~>tll,    1878. 

I  am  here  on  the  top  of  a  mountain  2,500  feet  high, 
altogether  unapparelled  for  such  work.  I  knew  that  I  had 
to  go  by  rail  for  four  hours,  then  by  carriage  for  two  hours, 


PARLIAMENTARY  WORK.  279 

then  by  climbing  for  one  and  a  half  hours.  But  it  can  rain 
in  the  Eifel.  In  five  minutes  my  shoes  were  squeezing  out 
streams  of  water,  and  I  arrived  like  a  drowned  rat  at  the 
top  of  the  mountain.  Here,  however,  I  found  wonderfully 
good  quarters  in  a  house  built  by  the  Company.  However, 
the  manager,  his  wife,  and  a  nice  daughter  of  nineteen, 
were  full  of  kindness,  and  they  managed  somehow,  with 
miners'  clothes,  etc.,  to  give  my  friend  Mr  Schmidtman 
and  myself  dry  clothes  till  our  own  were  put  on  the 
stove  and  dried.  To-day  it  is  raining  worse  than  ever, 
and  I  have  struck  work  and  remained  in  the  house 
while  Schmidtman  has  again  gone  down  the  mines.  .  .  . 

The  manager  of  the  mines  has  only  ^"150  a  year.  He  is 
a  model  man  for  his  position.  Now  he  is  comfortably 
housed,  but  when  he  came  here  his  quarters  were  awful. 
But  his  wife  finds  happiness  in  everything,  and  confers 
it  on  all  around  her — even  the  weather  contents  her. 
She  has  four  children.  The  eldest,  twenty-one,  is  a 
teacher  of  French  and  German  in  some  German  town. 
The  second,  the  Fraulein  here  who  waits  on  us,  is  a 
neat,  pretty,  happy  girl  of  nineteen,  who  speaks  English 
schlecht,  but  French  vorldufig.  The  two  boys  of  six- 
teen and  twelve  are  at  school  in  Belgium.  All  this 
out  of  ^"150  a  year  is  marvellous.  Everything  around 
you  is  neat  if  not  elegant,  and  scrupulously  clean.  As  it 
they  had  not  enough  to  do  with  their  money,  they  have 
adopted  two  children  of  a  brother-in-law  who  died  here 
three  months  ago,  I  fear  from  the  hardship  of  getting  the 
works  in  order,  for  he  had  to  be  for  whole  days  up  to  his 
waist  in  water.  The  two  little  orphans  came  in  to  me  this 
morning.  A  little  girl  of  four  took  hold  of  my  hand  and 
said,  "  Mem  Vater  ist  gestorben."  "Ja.  Dasmachtmich 
traurig."  "Aber  du  wein'st  nicht  fur  meinen  Vater." 
"  Nein,  Liebchen,  ich  wiirde  fur  ihren  Vater  weinen  wenn 
ich  ihn  zu  leben  bringen  konnte."  The  other,  a  year  older, 
told  me  her  mother  had  gone  to  see  some  relations,  to  see 
whether  God,  in  His  great  goodness,  had  sent  a  message 
from  heaven  that  they  should  help  those  who  were  left 
when  God  called  their  father  to  heaven.     They  wanted  to 


28o  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

know  why  God  had  called  him.  Had  He  any  mines  there 
which  He  wished  to  be  worked  ?  And  would  the  father 
have  drier  gangways  to  work  in  than  he  had  at  Wohlfahrt  ? 
I  told  her  that  God  would  give  him  plenty  of  work,  for 
though  hell  might  be  a  place  of  idleness,  heaven  must  be 
one  of  work.  I  thought,  however,  that  he  might  have  less 
hard  work  than  as  a  miner.  However,  I  found  that  I  had 
not  brought  consolation,  for  when  I  suggested  that  possibly 
he  was  not  working  in  mines  in  heaven,  the  little  child 
became  sad,  and  said,  "  Ach  Gott !  denn  ist  er  nicht  mehr 
gliicklich."  I  gave  it  up,  feeling  that  religious  consolation 
was  not  my  forte.  ...  I  think  you  may  like  to  hear  that 
on  representing  the  case  of  the  orphans  to  some  of  my  co- 
directors,  I  have  got  up  a  subscription  of  $150  for  them— 
nothing  very  great,  but  which  the  mother  will  think 
much  of. 

London,  July  yth,  1878. 

To-day  I  had  a  delightful  afternoon  with  the  Hookers 
of  Kew.  Sir  Joseph  and  Lady  Hooker  are  giving  three 
large  garden  parties  at  the  Royal  Gardens.  They  received  us 
in  a  tent  where  refreshments  were  served.  All  the  scientific 
notables  were  there.  When  I  told  him  that  I  had  taken 
my  passage  for  America,  he  envied  me  very  much,  and 
said  that  he  would  like  to  visit  the  kind  Russells  at 
Nahant.  .  .  .  There  was  a  phonograph  in  one  of  the 
rooms  in  the  house,  and  there  was  a  good  deal  of  fun 
in  making  it  speak.  This  morning  I  spent  two  hours 
with  Lord  Granville.  He  was  rather  dismayed  at  my 
going  to  America,  and  is  not  at  all  sure  that  there  will 
not  be  a  dissolution  in  my  absence,  but  I  quieted  him  by 
the  assurance  that  I  would  try  to  be  back  early  in  October. 

July  26th,  1878. 

Yesterday  I  dined  at  the  St.  Stephen's  Club  with  Mr 
Raikes,  the  Chairman  of  Committees.  After  dinner  I  went 
in  to  the  Dean  of  Westminster's.  There  I  found  a  very 
small  party,  but  they  appeared  to  be  all  clergymen,  and  I 
found  mvself  like  a  fish  out  of  water.     Looking  about  for  a 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  28 1 

layman,  I  saw  a  desperately  black  negro,  with  superb  white 
teeth.  So  I  thought  I  might  get  something  out  of  him. 
He  spoke  perfect  English,  and  was  quite  a  gentleman.  He 
told  me  he  had  been  a  fortnight  in  England,  and  enjoyed 
visiting  it  very  much,  for  his  own  country,  Bonny,  was 
very  uncivilised.  I  asked  him  if  he  were  a  missionary,  on 
which  he  smiled  and  said  he  employed  missionaries. 
"  Then,"  said  I,  "  have  I  the  honour  of  speaking  to  a  native 
Bishop  ? "  Upon  which  he  said  with  perfect  courtesy, 
smiling,  "Dr  Lyon  Playfair's  name  is  familiar  in  Bonny, 
but  mine  does  not  seem  to  have  reached  England." 
"  Excuse  me,  sir,"  I  said,  "  but  I  addressed  you  as  a 
stranger,  and  I  have  not  the  advantage  of  knowing  your 
name."  Upon  that  my  cultured  negro  replied,  "  I  am  the 
King  of  Bonny,  and  I  have  come  over  here  with  my  Prime 
Minister  to  furnish  myself  again  with  a  little  of  your  civili- 
sation." So  I  had  a  long  talk  with  him.  He  said  that  to 
cultivate  the  society  of  English  gentlemen  was,  after  all, 
more  pleasant  than  having  his  subjects  crawling  up  to  him 
on  their  stomachs,  for  he  found  it  both  dangerous  and 
difficult  to  introduce  civilisation  too  fast  in  his  extensive 
kingdom.  He  asked  me  about  the  microphone  and  the 
phonograph,  and  was  obviously  a  most  enlightened  poten- 
tate. His  age  seemed  about  twenty-eight.  In  another 
part  of  the  room  I  saw  another  negro,  quite  as  black  as  my 
shoe,  and  apparently  as  well  polished.  So  I  went  to  him. 
He,  I  found,  was  the  Bishop  of  Hayti.  He  told  me  he 
had  gone  to  Hayti  with  a  hundred  American  negroes. 
The  climate  did  not  agree  with  them.  In  a  year  he  buried 
forty,  and,  grinning  with  his  white  teeth  in  a  way  that 
looked  like  a  smile,  but  I  suppose  it  was  not,  "  five  of  them 
were  my  own  family."  He  told  me  he  had  eight  churches 
and  four  hundred  communicants.  He  was  quite  a  culti- 
vated man,  having  been  educated  in  an  American  Uni- 
versity. So  having  been  successful  with  two  negroes,  I 
tried  a  third.  He  proved  to  be  the  Prime  Minister,  and 
talked  good  English  also.  He.  was  not  so  polished  as 
His  Majesty,  but  gave  me  interesting  information  about 
Bonnv. 


262  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Seacox  Heath,  Hawkhurst,  July  2gth,  1878. 

I  am  staying  here  with  Mr  Goschen,  who  has  the  most 
lovely  place  in  Sussex,  not  far  (three  miles)  from  Hastings. 
The  scenery  is  the  perfection  of  English  landscape,  with 
undulating  hills  and  wide  plains  richly  wooded.  The  house 
is  quite  palatial  in  the  size  of  the  rooms,  and  the  central 
hall  is  square,  with  two  galleries,  one  above  the  other, 
running  right  round.  I  am  in  a  bedroom  on  the  upper 
gallery,  and  have  an  English  landscape  from  my  window 
from  which  I  have  always  fresh  enjoyment.  Sir  Rowland 
Blennerhasset,  a  Catholic  landlord,  is  the  only  guest  besides 
myself.  He  is  very  learned  in  foreign  politics,  but  I  fear 
from  my  trivial  character  I  enjoy  more  romping  with  the 
children  than  talking  politics  with  the  two  politicians.  I 
am  sorry  that  Goschen  has  abandoned  the  idea  of  going 
to  America  as  I  could  not  promise  to  travel  with  him. 
Besides,  the  rumours  of  a  dissolution  revive  again,  and  he 
thinks  it  hazardous  to  leave  even  till  early  in  October. 
On  Saturday  I  dined  with  about  two  hundred  doctors  at 
Greenwich.  Many  of  them  were  Conservatives,  and  my 
friends  among  them  doubted  whether  I  should  be  well 
received.  They  were  certainly  a  frigid  assembly,  and 
drank  "  The  Queen  "  and  other  toasts  in  silence.  I  became 
frozen,  and  when  my  health  was  drunk  I  had  congealed. 
But,  to  my  amazement,  the  whole  audience  started  up  and 
gave  me  three  times  three  cheers.  The  chairman,  an 
ardent  Conservative,  then  whispered,  "  All  right ;  your 
seat  won't  be  contested."  However,  even  the  cheers  did 
not  thaw  me,  and  I  made  a  very  bad  speech,  but  I  agree 
with  the  president  that  my  reception  was  very  encouraging 
for  the  next  election. 

After  his  marriage  to  Miss  Russell,  Playfair  and  his  bride 
returned  to  England  from  New  York  by  the  Germanic. 

To  Miss  Alice  Russell.  S.S.  Germanic,  November  10th,  1878. 

We   expect  to   get    into    Queenstown    to-night    about 
10  p.m.,  but  as  the  sea  is  heavy  and  the  ship  rolling  much, 


PARLIAMENTARY   WORK.  283 

Edith  cannot  write  home.  I  fancy  that  her  letter  from 
Liverpool  will  reach  you  as  soon  as  this  from  Queenstown. 
Our  voyage  has  been  prosperous  though  slow.  Nearly  all 
the  winds  have  been  favourable,  but  there  must  have  been 
a  serious  N.E.  storm  in  advance  of  us,  for  the  sea  was 
heavy  against  us  for  two  days,  and  we  had  a  good  deal  of 
pitching.  Now  it  is  with  us,  and  gives  the  agreeable 
diversity  of  heavy  rolling.  In  all  seas  the  Germanic  is 
a  splendid  vessel,  rising  and  falling  without  jars  or  shocks, 
very  much  like  a  yacht. 

I  have  purposely  made  free  extracts  from  the  corre- 
spondence between  Playfair  and  the  family  of  which  he 
was  about  to  become  a  member,  because  these  letters  cast 
a  light  upon  his  character  and  individuality  which  is 
hardly  supplied  by  the  records  of  his  working  life.  To 
understand  the  secret  of  his  success  as  an  organiser  and 
administrator,  it  is  necessary  to  understand  something  of 
the  lighter  side  of  his  character,  the  unfailing  buoyancy  of 
spirits  which  made  him  a  welcome  visitor  in  every  home, 
the  frank  charm  of  manner  which  enabled  him  to  win  his 
way  even  into  hearts  that  did  not  naturally  incline  towards 
him.  Those  who  enjoyed  his  friendship  knew  what  this 
charm  of  manner  was  ;  but  it  is  only  in  such  letters  as  those 
from  which  I  have  printed  extracts  that  an}-  traces  of  this 
characteristic  are  to  be  found  by  those  who  knew  him  not. 
In  his  business  relations  he  was  always  intensely  business- 
like. But  in  his  social  relationship,  and  even  in  the  casual 
meetings  with  the  chance  acquaintances  of  the  dinner- 
table,  the  severity  of  public  life  absolutely  vanished,  and 
he  won  his  way  into  the  goodwill  of  those  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact,  not  merelv  bv  his  admirable  skill  as  a 
raconteur,  but  by  that  unfailing  gift  of  sympathy  which 
made  everybody  feel  that  he  was  a  friend  in  much  more 
than  the  conventional  meaning  of  the  word. 

Playfair's  marriage  with  Miss  Russell  in   1878  may  be 
said  to  mark  the  commencement  of  the  third  term  in  his 


284  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

life.  From  this  time  forth  he  went  out  more  into  general 
society,  he  entertained  more  largely  in  his  own  house,  and, 
whilst  as  unremitting  as  ever  in  his  devotion  to  public 
work,  he  became  gradually  more  and  more  of  a  figure 
in  the  social  as  well  as  in  the  political  and  scientific  life 
of  London.  He  was  still  a  man  with  many  cares.  He 
always  had  many  irons  in  the  fire.  With  all  his  devotion 
to  his  duties  as  a  public  man,  he  had  also  to  fight  his  own 
personal  battle  with  the  world.  Never  wealthy,  he  was 
never  able  to  dispense  with  the  necessity  of  augmenting 
his  income  by  his  own  exertions.  His  task  of  earning  his 
own  living  he  discharged  with  characteristic  thoroughness. 
But  it  was  always  regarded  by  him  as  a  secondary  task. 
The  best  of  his  talents,  the  most  conspicuous  of  his 
services,  were  freely  rendered  to  his  country.  A  passion 
for  public  work  seemed  to  have  possession  of  his  soul, 
and,  though  he  could  enter  into  all  the  affairs  of  private 
business  with  which  he  had  to  deal  with  the  thorough- 
ness that  characterised  him  in  every  department  of 
labour,  it  was  into  those  enterprises  in  which  he  was 
working  not  for  his  own  but  for  the  general  good  that 
he  threw  himself  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm.  No  one 
who  knew  him  could  doubt  that  these  were  the  things 
which  appealed  most  strongly  to  his  heart.  His  marriage 
to  Miss  Russell  provided  him  with  a  companion  who 
shared  all  his  enthusiasms,  and  who  not  only  aided  but 
encouraged  him  in  his  public  ambitions.  Through  her  he 
was  brought  into  contact  with  the  strenuous  public  and 
individual  life  of  America  ;  and,  as  has  been  said  already, 
from  the  time  of  this  marriage  he  combined  with  his 
English  modes  of  thought  and  action  much  of  the  quickness 
and  receptiveness  which  are  the  distinguishing  marks  of  the 
best  class  of  public  men  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER. 

Playfair's  Liberalism  becoming  More  Pronounced — His  Seat  in  Danger — 
Letters  from  Edinburgh.  Autobiography  :  Appointed  Chairman  and 
Deputy-Speaker  :  Irish  Obstruction  :  Suspending  the  Obstructionists  : 
Resignation  :  Letters  from  Mr  Gladstone,  the  Speaker,  and  Sir  Stafford 
Northcote :  A  Reaction:  Made  a  Knight  Commander  of  the  Bath: 
In  Defence  of  Vivisection  and  Vaccination  :  Grand  Committees.  Why 
Playfair  refused  the  Office  of  Chief  Whip — His  Suspension  of  Irish 
Obstructionists — A  Correspondence  with  Mr  Chaplin — The  Absorbing 
Character  of  His  Duties  as  Chairman — His  Loyalty  as  an  Independent 
Member — His  Personal  Popularity  with  the  Irish  Members — Securing 
a  Knighthood  for  Professor  Owen. 

The  political  situation  from  1876  onwards  till  the  General 
Election  was  anxious  and  disturbed.  The  great  struggle 
between  the  foreign  policy  of  Lord  Beaconsfield  and  that 
of  Mr  Gladstone  was  at  its  height.  The  country  was 
passing,  in  Eastern  Europe  and  in  Asia,  through  successive 
crises  which  on  more  than  one  occasion  brought  it  to  the 
very  brink  of  war.  At  home  men's  minds  were  disturbed 
by  the  fierceness  with  which  the  conflict  between  the  two 
great  leaders  of  the  day  was  maintained.  Playfair, 
although  he  had  stood  carefully  apart  from  the  ordinary 
struggles  of  parties,  in  obedience  to  his  conception  of  his 
duties  as  member  for  the  Universities  of  Edinburgh  and 
St.  Andrews,  did  not  conceal  his  warm  sympathy  with  Mr 
Gladstone's  views  on  the  Turkish  Question.  It  may  be 
gathered,  indeed,  from  the  letters  published  on  previous 
pages,  that  his  Liberalism  was  becoming  more  pronounced 
with  the  passage  of  time.  It  was  always  a  sane  and  sober 
Liberalism,    moving    upon    the    old    historic    lines,    and 


286  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

conspicuously  free  from  any  sympathy  either  with  the 
Socialism  which  was  making  itself  felt  in  certain  advanced 
democratic  circles,  or  with  the  "fads"  of  organised  cliques, 
who  were  at  this  time  very  busy,  more  especially  in  the 
ranks  of  the  Liberal  party.  But  although  he  was  then, 
as  he  continued  to  be  to  the  end  of  his  days,  the  object 
of  the  bitter  hostility  of  Socialists,  anti-vaccinators,  anti- 
vivisectionists,  and  many  active  and  powerful  sections  of 
the  Liberal  party,  he  made  it  clear  to  the  world  that  on 
the  great  questions  of  the  time  he  was  in  full  sympathy 
with  the  doctrines  of  Liberalism  as  he  had  known  them 
from  his  early  manhood  upwards,  and  as  they  were  now 
represented  by  Mr  Gladstone. 

During  1878  and  1879  rumours  of  an  impending  dissolu- 
tion were  constant,  and,  along  with  these  general  rumours, 
others  more  particularly  affecting  himself  reached  Play- 
fair's  ears.  He  learned  that  his  Liberal  opinions  were 
becoming  increasingly  distasteful  to  many  of  his  con- 
stituents, and  that  his  seat  for  the  University  was  seriously 
threatened.  With  his  usual  alacrity  he  set  himself  to  the 
task  of  measuring  and  meeting  the  opposition  which  he 
had  thus  to  face.  He  went  to  Edinburgh  in  April,  1879 — 
as  it  happened,  just  a  year  before  the  dissolution  took 
place — in  order  to  grapple  with  the  situation  on  the  spot. 

Play/air  to  his   Wife.  Edinburgh,  April  nth,  1879. 

I  have  little  to  tell  you.  I  found,  as  I  suspected,  a  good 
deal  of  irritation  among  the  medical  men  here.  They 
thought  that  I  was  not  earnest  enough  about  the  Medical 
Bill.  Why,  I  know  not,  unless  the  Tory  M.D.'s  have 
been  making  capital  out  of  this  feeling ;  for  the  Bill  has 
not  yet  been  introduced  into  the  Lower  House,  and  in  the 
Lords  it  was  not  my  business  to  interfere.  However,  I  am 
smoothing  their  ruffled  feathers  fast,  and  the  M.D.'s  have 
asked  me  to  dine  with  them  on  Monday  at  six,  so  I  hope 
to  complete  the  pacification.     I  have  interviews  all  day 


CHAIRMAN  AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  287 

long,  so  have  no  general  news  to  tell  you,  as  you  would 
not  care  for  precis  of  conversations  on  conjoint  boards  and 
on  vivisection.  The  general  impression  is  that  my  seat 
will  not  be  attacked.  I  am  just  going  out  to  return  calls  ; 
but  it  is  now  3.30,  and  I  have  had  no  air  or  "Good 
Friday,"  for  I  have  been  interviewed  all  day  by  M.D.'s 
and  advocates. 

Same  to  the  Same.  St-  Andrews,  April  12th,  1879. 

I  arrived  here  all  right  about  the  middle  of  the  day. 
Then  I  went  to  lunch  with  Bob  Mitchell,  and  spent  the 
afternoon  calling  on  professors.  They  are  all  angry 
because,  as  a  University  Commissioner,  I  did  not  raise  all 
their  salaries  to  ^"600  a  year.  I  said  that  truly  I  was  a 
Commissioner,  but  I  was  only  one  of  many.  Besides, 
twenty  professors  at  ^"600  per  annum  from  the  State  meant 
600  x  20=^12,000,  and  that  divided  by  their  150  students 
meant  that  they  asked  the  State  to  pay  .£80  for  each 
student  out  of  Imperial  funds  !  However,  they  are  very 
cross,  and  think  I  could  remove  mountains,  and  that  I  did 
not  fight  for  them  enough.  However,  I  have  laughed  and 
quizzed,  and  hope  they  are  a  little  ashamed.  .  .  . 

I  intend  to  have  a  little  fun  to-night.  There  is  at  the 
"  Cross  Keys "  a  Gandeamus  or  farewell  dinner  of  the 
"  Classical  Society  " — that  is  a  debating  Society  of  Students. 
I  used  to  belong  to  this  society,  and  when  I  left  college  I 
was  made  an  "Honorary  Member"  of  it.  So  I  intend 
after  dinner  to  offer  to  drink  a  tumbler  of  toddy  with  my 
old  society,  and  beg  to  be  admitted.  They  do  not  know 
that  I  am  in  the  hotel,  and  will  be  astonished.  So  far  as  I 
can  find  out  there  is  no  real  purpose  of  opposition  here, 
though  the  professors  are  rather  grumpy  at  me  because, 
as  a  University  Commissioner,  I  did  not  make  an  ass 
of  myself. 

Sa?ne  to  the  same.  St.  Andrews,  April  iyh,  1879. 

I  have  just  come  from  church,  and  rushed  here  for  shelter 
from  the  most  pelting  snowstorm  and  bitter  easterly  wind. 
The  sea  is  raging  finely  in  front  of  the  windows,  and  makes 


288  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

me  feel  gruey  at  the  thought  of  having  to  cross  the  Firth 
of  Forth  to-morrow  morning.  Last  night  I  spent  with 
about  fifty  or  sixty  students  at  the  Gaudeamus  of  the 
Classical  Society.  They  were  greatly  pleased  at  my  offer 
to  go  down.     After  my  speech,  they  rose  and  sang 

"  For  he's  a  jolly  good  fellow, 
For  he's  a  jolly  good  fellow, 
Which  nobody  can  deny. 
Hip,  hip,  hurrah  !  " 

I  sat  with  them  till  ten,  then  proposed  the  health  of  the 
chairman  and  departed.  All  stood  up  as  I  left,  and  gave 
me  three  times  three.  There  was  capital  fun — good  songs 
and  an  excellent  sermon  by  one  of  the  students  to  the  text 
of  "  Old  Mother  Hubbard."  Remind  me  to  tell  you  of 
this  sermon,  which  kept  me  in  a  roar  of  laughter  all 
through  its  delivery. 

I  have  seen  but  few  people  yet.  The  professors  either 
keep  out  of  the  way  or  they  do  not  know  where  to  call, 
and  the  weather  is  too  inclement  to  find  them  outside.  I 
dine  with  the  Graces  to-night,  and  shall  probably  have 
Principal  Shairp  or  some  other  dignitary  there. 

Same  to  the  same.  April  15th,  1879. 

I  should  reach  you  about  a  quarter  to  eight  on  the  same 
day  that  you  receive  this.  Yesterday  I  dined  with  about 
seventy  medicals  from  all  parts  of  Scotland.  When  my 
health  was  proposed  there  was  strong  thumping  from  a  few 
devoted  adherents,  but  an  ominous  silence  in  the  body  of 
the  hall.  I  made  a  long  speech,  and  at  the  end  everybody 
was  enthusiastic,  and  I  found  that  I  had  won.  It  is  quite 
clear  that  the  enemy  has  been  persuading  the  M.D.'s  that 
I  am  an  opponent  of  their  views  about  the  Medical  Bill, 
while  in  reality  I  am  a  strong  supporter  of  theirs.  The 
meeting  last  night  did  me  much  good.  The  Principal  still 
seems  grumpy,  for  he  has  not  been  to  see  me.  I  went 
yesterday  to  call  on  his  wife,  but  she  was  not  at  home. 
However,  I  have  done  my  work  pretty  well,  and  am  in  a 
much   better  position  than    when   I   came  here.     I  have 


CHAIRMAN  AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  289 

found  out  that  the  two  men,  Prof.  Lister  and  Dr  Matthews 
Duncan,  whom  the  Conservatives  asked  to  oppose  me  at 
their  expense,  have  positively  declined. 

Having  done  what  he  could  to  make  himself  secure 
in  his  seat,  Playfair  waited  patiently  until  the  actual 
dissolution  came,  and  he  found  himself  in  the  field  con- 
fronted by  a  formidable  opponent  who  had  the  support 
of  the  Conservatives  and  of  those  medical  men  who 
were  displeased  with  their  old  member's  attitude  towards 
certain  measures  affecting  their  profession.  He  went  to 
Edinburgh  in  March,  1880,  prepared  to  fight  to  the  end  for 
his  seat  in  the  House  of  Commons.  He  was  soon  joined 
by  his  wife,  who  remained  with  him  during  the  contest. 
Before  she  arrived  in  Edinburgh,  he  had  written  a  letter  to 
her,  which  affords  a  passing  glimpse  of  the  historic  episode 
of  the  Midlothian  campaign.  The  letter  is  written  from 
Dalmeny,  where  Mr  Gladstone  was  staying  with  Lord 
Rosebery. 

Same  to  the  same.  Dalmeny,  March  21st,  1880. 

I  wrote  you  a  short  letter  from  Silverknowe  to-day,  and 
now  must  tell  you  about  my  Sunday  stay  here.  We  had 
twenty-two  to  dinner  yesterday — Gladstones,  Moncrieffs, 
the  Youngs,  and  various  barristers  and  their  wives,  also  Mr 
Donaldson,  who  wrote  those  letters  in  my  favour  addressed 
to  teachers.  Lord  and  Lady  Rosebery  were  very  pleasant. 
I  took  young  Mrs  Moncrieff  in  to  dinner,  and  she  sat  next 
Mr  Gladstone,  so  we  had  a  pleasant  conversation  together. 
Gladstone  looked  jaded,  but  his  work  has  been  immense. 
To-day  he  looks  much  better.  The  Gladstones  went  in  to 
church,  and  I  took  a  five-mile  walk  with  Lord  Rosebery, 
and  we  made  satisfactorily  to  ourselves  the  new  Cabinet,  if 
the  Liberals  get  into  power — no  doubt  widely  different  from 
that  which  will  really  be  formed.  Then  he  drove  into 
town,  and  I  went  to  the 's,  expecting  lunch  !     But 


290  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

they  live  in  such  a  primitive  fashion  in  the  winter,  with 
one  woman,  that  they  could  only  give  me  a  biscuit  and  a 
glass  of  sherry,  so  that  I  am  now  looking  with  interest  to 
the  dinner,  which  will  be  in  half  an  hour.  I  had  a  long 
talk  with  Gladstone  this  afternoon,  and  he  is  full  of  hope 
for  the  Liberal  party. 

Don't  you  think  you  could  join  me  for  a  week  ?  I  dare 
not  leave  the  field  of  battle.  The  enemy  is  looking  round 
in  all  directions,  and  it  would  be  utterly  unsafe  to  rely  on 
my  strength  until  it  is  absolutely  secure.  The  voting  papers 
will  be  posted  at  the  end  of  this  week,  and  I  must  myself 
see  to  all  this  being  done  well.  The  nomination  is  a  mere 
formality,  but  the  issue  of  the  voting  papers  and  the  return 
of  them  is  a  stern  reality.  Until  2,600  voting  papers  are 
actually  in  the  safe,  I  am  not  absolutely  safe.  Of  this 
number  2,300  are  promised,  but  I  have  to  get  the  promises 
in  and  300  more  votes  somehow. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY     CONTINUED. — X. 

1880  to  1882. 

I  NOW  come  to  a  stormy  period  of  my  Parliamentary 
life.  In  the  spring  of  1880  there  was  a  General  Election. 
I  was  again  returned  as  member  for  the  Universities  of 
Edinburgh  and  St.  Andrews,  after  a  hard  contest  with  Mr 
Bickersteth,  a  medical  man  from  Liverpool.  The  result  of 
the  election  was  that  Mr  Gladstone  had  a  large  Liberal 
majority.  In  forming  his  Government,  Mr  Gladstone  was 
anxious  that  I  should  become  Patronage  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  and  Lord  Granville  and  Lord  Wolverton  were 
deputed  to  induce  me  to  accept  this  office.  Its  duties  are 
better  known  by  the  conventional  phrase  of  "  first  Whip," 
though  that  really  does  not  explain  them.  He  is  an 
intermediary  between  the  supporters  of  the  Government 
and  the  Prime  Minister,  and  must  be  in  constant  touch 
with  both.  It  has  always  been  a  characteristic  of  Mr 
Gladstone   that   if  he   is   convinced   of  the   honestv  and 


CHAIRMAN    AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  29 1 

straightforwardness  of  his  first  Whip,  he  is  perfectly  unre- 
served, and  places  the  most  entire  confidence  in  him. 
The  party  as  a  whole  are,  therefore,  much  interested  as 
to  the  person  who  is  to  obtain  this  post.  I  was  much 
surprised  that  it  was  offered  to  me,  because  my  relations 
with  Mr  Gladstone,  though  always  polite  and  courteous, 
had  never  been  intimate.  It  was  impossible  that  he 
should  forget  how  often  I  had  been  in  opposition  to  his 
measures.  Lord  Granville  and  Lord  Wolverton,  however, 
assured  me  that  Mr  Gladstone  was  anxious  that  I  should 
accept  the  office.  But  as  I  did  not  think  myself  adapted 
to  fulfil  its  duties,  I  positively  declined,  and  Lord  Richard 
Grosvenor  was  appointed.  Soon  afterwards  I  was  offered  the 
office  of  "  Chairman  and  Deputy-Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Commons,"  and,  in  an  unhappy  hour  for  my  own  peace  of 
mind,  I  accepted  it.  The  Chairman  presides  technically 
over  "  Ways  and  Means,"  but  also  over  the  whole  House 
after  a  Bill  has  passed  the  Second  Reading  and  goes 
into  the  Committee  stage.  He  is  not  subordinate  to  the 
Speaker,  who  has  no  control  over  him.  If  he  rule 
wrongly,  there  may  be  an  appeal  to  the  House,  but 
not  to  the  Speaker.  In  his  capacity  as  Deputy-Speaker, 
the  Chairman  takes  the  Speaker's  chair  during  the  latter' s 
absence,  and  exercises  all  his  power. 

When  I  assumed  office  Ireland  was  in  a  disturbed 
state,  and  Irish  Members  had  elaborated  their  tactics  of 
obstruction  to  all  Government  measures.  This  was 
effected  by  endless  discussion  on  trivial  clauses  of  Bills  and 
by  incessant  motions  for  adjournment.  These  obstructive 
tactics  were  used  whether  the  Speaker  or  the  Chairman 
presided.  The  Speaker  holds  an  office  of  great  dignity, 
sits  on  a  throne  dressed  in  a  robe  and  court  dress,  wearing 
a  large  wig,  and  having  before  him  the  mace  of  the  House, 
a  mace  which  has  remained  there  ever  since  Cromwell 
said,  "  Take  away  that  bauble  !  "  Though  the  Chairman 
exercises  the  authority  of  the  Speaker,  everything  shows 
his  minor  importance.  The  Chairman  sits  beside  the 
clerks,  dressed  in  plain  clothes  ;  while  the  mace, 
denoting  the  authority  of  the  House,  is  placed  under  the 


292  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

table  whenever  he  presides.  The  two  presiding  officers 
of  the  House  are,  therefore,  placed  under  very  different 
conditions  of  dignity,  and,  although  equal  in  power,  are  by 
their  surroundings  differently  situated  for  its  efficient 
exercise.  At  this  time,  Mr  Brand,  now  Lord  Hampden, 
was  Speaker,  and  filled  the  office  in  the  most  dignified 
and  efficient  manner. 

As  Irish  obstruction  increased  during  the  progress  of  the 
Parliament,  both  the  Speaker  and  the  Chairman  received 
the  constant  censure  of  the  Press  for  not  being  more 
arbitrary  in  the  exercise  of  their  power.  The  work,  how- 
ever, chiefly  fell  upon  me,  because  obstruction  generally 
was  carried  on  in  Committee  of  the  whole  House.  The 
Chairman  was  more  easily  attacked  than  the  Speaker,  and 
he  became  the  subject  of  incessant  attack  by  the  Press, 
which  no  doubt  represented  the  indignation  of  the  country 
at  the  friction  of  the  Parliamentary  machine.  My  censors 
were  varied  in  their  attacks.  Sometimes  I  was  supposed  to 
be  too  lenient,  and  at  one  time  it  was  even  alleged  that  I 
had  a  secret  understanding  with  the  Irish  members.1  At 
other  times,  I  was  censured  for  being  too  arbitrary,  for  it 
seemed  clear  to  the  newspapers  that  I  was  trying  to  drive 
the  members  from  Ireland  into  open  rebellion  against  the 
rules  of  the  House.  It  never  seemed  to  occur  to  our  critics 
that  the  rules  of  the  House  were  at  fault,  because  of  their 
insufficiency  to  meet  obstruction,  and  that  the  Speaker  and 
the  Chairman  had  no  power  to  make  rules,  but  could  only 
administer  them  according  to  precedent. 

The  work  of  a  Chairman  may  be  understood  when  I  state 
that  at  that  time  I  had  to  be  in  the  House  every  morning 
at  eleven  o'clock  to  preside  over  the  Private  Bill  Legis- 
lation of  Parliament,  and  that  I  rarely  left  it  till  between 
two  and  three  o'clock  next  morning.  When  the  "  Pro- 
tection of  Person  and  Property  (Ireland)  Bill"  was  under 

1  The  origin  of  this  belief  was  that  during  a  division  I  was  seen  to  be 
in  conversation  with  Mr  Parnell  and  other  Irish  members  behind  the 
Speaker's  chair.  The  fact  was  that  Mr  Parnell  had  asked  me  whether  I 
considered  the  repeated  motions  for  adjournment  were  an  infraction  of  the 
rules  of  the  House,  and  I  replied  that  I  did  so,  and  would  suspend  those 
members  who  continued  them.     He  then  abandoned  them. 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  293 

discussion  in  February,  1881,  obstruction  rose  to  a  height 
which  required  the  full  powers  of  the  Speaker  to  suppress 
it.  Hitherto  the  rule  regarding  obstruction  had  been 
applied  to  individuals  only,  but  not  to  a  combination  of 
members  acting  in  concert.  Both  Mr  Brand  and  I  agreed 
that  we  might  give  to  it  this  extension,  and  the  former 
announced  from  the  Chair  on  the  1st  February  that  he  might 
be  compelled  to  act  against  the  whole  body  of  obstruc- 
tionists. On  that  occasion  there  was  a  whole  night  sitting, 
and  the  Speaker,  being  exhausted  with  the  previous  day's 
labour,  left  me  to  preside  as  Deputy-Speaker  during  the 
night.  I  promised  him  that  I  would  not  act  under  this 
new  interpretation  of  the  rule  till  he  returned  to  the  Chair 
next  morning.  The  Conservatives  tried  to  force  my  hand 
all  through  the  night,  and  because  I  would  not  suspend  the 
offending  members  en  bloc,  the  Opposition  rose  in  a  body 
and  left  the  House  to  show  their  disapprobation  of  my 
conduct.  Next  morning  the  Speaker  returned  as  arranged, 
and  suspended  the  whole  body  of  Irish  obstructors.  The 
first  application  of  this  new  interpretation  of  the  rule  ought 
clearly  to  have  been  made  by  the  Speaker,  as  the  presiding 
officer  of  the  highest  dignity.  Even  then  it  was  thought 
to  be  an  unconstitutional  proceeding,  but  it  was  absolutely 
necessary  to  prevent  Parliament  being  made  the  laughing- 
stock of  the  country.  The  action  of  Mr  Speaker  was 
challenged  in  the  House,  but  was  confirmed.  (Hansard, 
cclviii.,  21.) 

In  the  following  year,  July,  1882,  it  became  my  duty  to 
carry  out  this  extended  application  of  the  rule  against 
obstruction,  when  the  "Prevention  of  Crimes  (Ireland) 
Bill "  was  under  discussion  in  Committee. 

The  House  had  become  most  impatient.  The  Home 
Secretary  (Sir  W.  Harcourt)  and  the  Leader  of  the  Opposi- 
tion (Sir  Stafford  Northcote)  had  been  pressing  me  to  close 
the  discussion  by  the  application  of  the  rule  for  some  time 
before  I  did  so.  The  House  was  sitting  continuously  night 
and  day,  apparently  with  the  hope  of  tiring  out  the 
Chairman  by  physical  exhaustion,  for  Irish  members  went 
away   in  what  were  called   "  sleeping  gangs,"  to   return 


294  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

refreshed  for  the  continuation  of  obstruction.  I  gave  three 
distinct  warnings  that  I  must  suspend  the  whole  of  the 
Irish  obstructive  members  if  these  tactics  were  continued. 
At  nine  on  the  morning  of  the  second  day,  Mr  Biddulph 
rose  and  asked  "  whether  the  time  had  not  come  to  bring 
this  farce  to  an  end  ?"  To  this  I  replied  as  Chairman  :  "  I 
have  been  painfully  impressed  for  some  time  past  with  the 
manner  in  which  this  Committee  has  been  conducted  for 
twenty-three  days,  and  on  this  particular  clause  for  nineteen 
hours.  The  House  has  committed  to  it  the  examination 
and  amendment  of  the  Bill,  but  a  limited  number  of  mem- 
bers have  systematically  frustrated  the  progress  of  business 
by  a  mass  of  amendments,  some  of  a  practical  and  fair 
character,  but  by  far  the  greater  number  only  intended  to 
raise  under  new  forms  questions  which  had  already  been 
decided  by  large  majorities  of  the  Committee.  These 
amendments  were  made  the  occasion  for  endless  repe- 
tition of  the  same  arguments,  and  for  irrelevant  talk, 
deliberately  planned  to  waste  time.  I  think  that  the 
period  has  now  arrived  when,  if  the  Committee  is  to 
carry  on  rationally  and  fairly  the  duty  entrusted  to  it, 
the  Committee  must  protect  itself  by  the  rule  of  the 
House  intended  to  meet  obstruction.  I  must  express 
the  sense  of  the  Chair  that  deliberate  and  planned  obstruc- 
tion exists  in  the  Committee,  and  I  may  soon  have  to 
indicate  the  names  of  members  who,  in  my  opinion,  are 
engaged  in  systematic  obstruction." 

Notwithstanding  this  distinct  warning,  the  game  went  on 
as  before,  and  at  last  I  rose  and  named  sixteen  of  the  most 
prominent  obstructionists,  who  were  accordingly  suspended, 
and  by  five  o'clock  on  the  same  day  the  Bill  finally  passed 
through  Committee.  Though  I  had  followed  carefully  to 
the  minutest  particulars  the  precedent  established  by  the 
Speaker  in  the  previous  year,  and  had  certainly  displayed 
continued  patience  and  command  of  temper,  I  was  assailed 
by  the  Press  in  unmeasured  terms  for  my  arbitrary  conduct. 
The  Cabinet  said  they  could  no  longer  support  this  inter- 
pretation of  the  rule  ;  although  it  was  Mr  Gladstone  him- 
self who  moved  the  suspension  of  twenty-eight  members 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  295 

in  one  resolution  the  preceding  year.  Curiously  enough, 
the  members  who  were  most  kind  to  me  on  this  occasion 
were  the  very  men  whom  I  had  suspended.  Both  by 
private  letter  and  by  speech  in  the  House,  the  Irish  mem- 
bers expressed  their  strong  confidence  in  my  fairness, 
patience,  and  impartiality.  My  action  certainly  scotched 
obstruction,  and  it  has  never  again  since  then  manifested 
itself  in  this  acute  form.  But  my  position  as  Chairman  had 
become  intolerable,  and  after  receiving  warning  from  a 
serious  illness  that  I  could  not  safely  continue  such  heavy 
work,  I  privately  intimated  to  the  Prime  Minister  that  I 
would  resign  at  the  end  of  the  Session.  As  much  criticism 
of  the  performance  of  the  duties  which  devolved  upon  me 
in  these  troublous  times  of  Parliamentary  history  has  been 
made,  it  may  be  useful  to  give  the  opinions  of  the  three 
most  competent  witnesses,  the  Prime  Minister,  the  Speaker, 
and  the  Leader  of  the  Opposition,  Sir  Stafford  Northcote. 
The  first  letter  is  from  Mr  Gladstone. 


Mr  Gladstone  to  Play/air.       downing  Street,  July  4th,  1882. 

My  dear  Mr  Playfair, — I  had  hoped  to  speak  to 
you  in  the  House,  but  as  you  are  wisely  kept  at  home 
I  cannot  refrain  from  writing  you  a  line  of  sympathy 
and  just  acknowledgment.  I  am  not  surprised  that  you 
should  to-day  find  a  little  rest  to  be  necessary.  I  am 
only  astonished  that  you  have  been  able  to  bear  the 
strain  so  long. 

With  an  office  of  less  authority  than  the  Speakership, 
you  have  had  to  discharge  duties  (all  things  taken  together) 
perhaps  more  difficult,  certainly  more  harassing.  It  can  be 
no  wonder  if  disputes  at  length  arise  upon  some  point  in 
the  proceedings.  The  marvel  to  me  has  been  the  calm 
temper,  the  indefatigable  application,  the  close  and  acute 
discernment  which  you  have  applied  to  your  work. 

It  seems  to  me  that,  apart  from  considering  this  man  or 
that,  the  burdens  of  your  office  are  becoming  such  as  to 
pass  beyond  human  endurance.  Only  the  most  drastic 
and  searching  reforms  in  the  rules  for  transacting  business 


296  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

can,  in  my  opinion,  save  either  it  or  the  Chair,  or  the  House 
itself.  On  no  account  trouble  yourself  to  answer  this,  but, 
believe  me,  with  sincere  regard, 

Faithfully  yours, 

W.  E.  Gladstone. 

The  above  letter  was  written  soon  after  the  suspension 
of  the  Irish  members,  and  still  warmer  letters  were  sent 
when  in  August  I  intimated  my  intention  to  retire  ;  but 
these  are  marked  "  Private  and  Confidential."  As  there 
was  an  autumn  Session  the  public  were  not  let  into  the 
secret  till  February  in  the  following  year  (1883),  and  then, 
in  the  usual  courtesy,  I  told  the  Leader  of  the  Opposition. 
The  following  is  his  reply  : — 

20,  St.  James's  Place, 

Sir  Stafford  Northcote  to  Play  fair.  February  2yd,  1883. 

Dear  Mr  Playfair, — Many  thanks  for  writing  to 
me.  I  shall  take  care  to  be  in  my  place  when  you  make 
your  announcement.  I  am  sure  there  never  has  been  a 
Chairman  upon  whom  harder  or  more  unthankful  tasks 
have  been  imposed  than  those  which  have  fallen  to  your 
lot ;  and  I  hope  that  the  House  will  duly  express  its 
appreciation  of  your  labours. 

Believe  me, 

Yours  very  faithful!}', 

Stafford  H.  Northcote. 

The  Speaker  and  I  were  cordial  friends  all  through 
this  difficult  period.  He  invariably  supported  me  in  the 
House,  and  in  communications  to  the  Cabinet  and  to  the 
Opposition.  The  following  letter  is  the  last  of  many 
which  I  received  from  him  : — 

Glynde,  Lewes, 
Mr  Speaker  Brand  to  Playfair.  January  $th,  18S3. 

Dear  Mr  Playfair, — I  hear  from  Mr  Gladstone  that 
he  has  it  in  view  to  nominate  Sir  A.  Otway  to  the  Chair 
which  vou  have  so  well  filled  in  difficult  times. 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  297 

I  cannot  let  the  occasion  pass  without  once  more  saying 
how  sorry  I  am,  both  on  personal  and  public  grounds,  to 
lose  so  efficient  a  helpmate.  I  still  hope  to  see  you  serving 
the  State  in  some  higher  and  more  congenial  position. 

Yours  truly, 

H.  Brand. 

On  my  resignation  the  House  passed  with  its  usual 
kindness  a  complimentary  motion,  but  I  have  little  doubt 
that  it,  as  well  as  I,  was  relieved  by  my  resignation  at  that 
time.  A  curious  reaction  followed  my  retirement.  For  a 
considerable  time  I  became  one  of  the  most  popular 
members  in  the  House,  for  whenever  I  rose  in  the  course 
of  a  debate  I  was  warmly  cheered  by  all  parts  of  the 
House,  including  the  Irish  section.  This  might  be  ex- 
plained in  two  ways,  either  that  the  House  felt  it  had  done 
me  scant  justice  when  I  sat  in  the  Chair,  or  that  it  felt 
relieved  by  the  absence  of  my  arbitrary  rule.  In  either 
case  I  simply  record  a  fact  which  was  a  good  deal  noticed 
at  the  time. 

This  year  the  Queen,  on  the  recommendation  of  Mr 
Gladstone,  appointed  me  to  be  a  Knight  Commander 
of  the  Bath.  As  a  mark  of  Royal  favour,  in  order  that  I 
might  wear  the  decoration  and  assume  the  rank  of  Knight 
on  her  birthday,  the  Queen  conferred  the  honour  by 
Royal  Warrant  and  without  the  usual  accolade. 

As  soon  as  I  was  released  from  the  duties  of  the  Chair  1 
again  took  an  active  part  in  social  questions.  In  this  year, 
1883,  there  were  two  determined  attacks  on  vivisection  and 
vaccination.  I  have  already  referred  to  the  former  subject 
in  mentioning  the  Bill  introduced  by  me  in  1876  to  regulate 
vivisection,  which  it  was  now  sought  to  repeal.  The  attack 
on  Compulsory  Vaccination  was  still  more  determined,  and, 
on  the  19th  June,  1883,  the  Government  were  so  alarmed 
by  the  opposition  that  the  Cabinet  decided  to  leave  it  an 
open  question.  The  epidemic  of  187 1  had  been  pandemic, 
probably  as  a  consequence  of  the  Franco-German  war, 
and  this  weakened  confidence  in  the  protective  power  of 
vaccination.     It  is  quite  true  that  the  Vaccination  Acts  are 


298  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

not  sufficient  to  resist  a  great  epidemic  wave,  but  they  act 
as  a  breakwater  and  lessen  its  force.  Great  epidemics  are 
like  huge  tidal  waves,  which  may  roll  over  any  ordinary 
embankment. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  these  embankments  are 
never  wholly  continuous,  for  the  unvaccinated  are  like 
holes  in  them,  through  which  the  flood  of  disease  finds 
its  way.  Vaccination  is,  under  ordinary  conditions,  a  suffi- 
cient protection,  but  in  the  presence  of  a  great  epidemic 
it  is  overtopped,  and  small-pox  spreads  over  a  country, 
attacking  the  unvaccinated,  and  those  whose  protection  has 
been  worn  out  by  age.  As  it  increases  in  volume  the  vacci- 
nated, too,  are  carried  away  by  it,  but  vaccination  is  their 
life-belt,  and  they  rarely  perish.  It  was  so  in  Scotland  in 
the  great  epidemic  of  187 1.  When  such  an  epidemic  strikes 
a  population  they  become  terrified,  and  they  rush  in  crowds 
to  be  vaccinated.  At  that  time  the  compulsory  law  had 
only  existed  for  eight  years  in  Scotland,  and  only  the  infant 
population  had  come  under  its  influence.  But  still  the 
people  of  Scotland,  not  being  cursed  with  anti-vaccination 
societies,  rapidly  extended  vaccination  among  themselves, 
and  stamped  out  the  epidemic.  Since  then  small-pox  has 
scarcely  existed  in  that  country.  For  the  last  few  years 
the  total  number  of  deaths  have  not  exceeded  ten  per 
annum. 

In  examining  the  state  of  vaccination  we  must  compare 
the  mortality  from  small-pox  with  that  of  the  last  century, 
This,  Dr  Farr  tells  us,  was  3,000  per  million  of  the  popula- 
tion annually  for  the  whole  country.  For  the  first  forty 
years  of  this  century  vaccination  was  promoted  among  the 
people  by  charitable  agencies,  and  the  mortality  had  fallen 
to  600  per  million  by  1840,  or  was  then  only  one-fifth  the 
rate  of  last  century.  Still,  600  per  million  is  a  high  rate 
of  mortality,  and  Parliament  began  in  1841  to  give  funds 
for  gratuitous  vaccination,  so  as  to  spread  it  more  rapidly 
among  the  people.  This  continued  till  1853,  and  the 
mortality  was  now  305  per  million,  so  that  gratuitous 
vaccination  by  the  State  reduced  the  mortality  to  one  half. 
Then,  in  1853,  Parliament  passed  an  obligatory  law,  which 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  299 

remained  without  administrative  means  of  enforcing  it  till 
1 87 1 ;  but  still,  during  this  period  of  obligatory  vaccination, 
the  mortality  fell  to  22^  deaths  per  million.  In  that  year 
a  law  was  passed  making  it  compulsory  on  Boards  ot 
Guardians  to  appoint  vaccination  officers,  and  since  that 
time  the  average  mortality  has  been  156  per  million. 
Every  successive  step,  then,  in  promoting  vaccination  has 
been  followed  by  a  great  reduction  in  the  rate  of  mor- 
tality. Voluntary  efforts  reduced  the  mortality  of  the  last 
century  from  3,000  to  600  per  million,  gratuitous  vaccina- 
tion by  the  State  reduced  it  to  305,  obligatory  law 
inefficiently  administered  reduced  it  to  223,  and  the  same 
law  under  vaccination  officers  further  reduces  it  to  156. 

Against  such  facts  as  these  the  opponents  of  vaccination 
asserted  that  the  compulsory  laws  were  a  violation  of 
personal  liberty.  To  this  I  replied  in  my  speech  as 
follows  : — 

"  We  have  many  laws  interfering  with  personal  liberty.  We 
restrict  hours  of  labour  to  working  men,  although  many  of  them 
think  our  restrictions  unjust.  We  punish  the  rash  traveller  who 
jumps  into  a  train  in  motion,  although  it  would  injure  no  one  but 
himself.  If  small-pox  affected  an  adult  individual  only,  his  right  to 
take  it  could  scarcely,  however,  be  disputed.  We  do  not  punish  a 
man  for  burning  down  his  own  isolated  mansion  if  no  one  is  injured 
but  himself.  But  we  do  punish  him  if  he  risk  a  neighbour's  pro- 
perty by  his  act.  Every  case  of  small-pox  is  a  new  centre  of  con- 
tagion. A  man  may  exercise  his  own  personal  taste  for  any  disease 
which  he  chooses,  provided  he  does  not  injure  his  neighbours  by  his 
idiosyncrasy.  But  when  he  produces  omissional  infanticide  of  his 
own  and  his  neighbours'  children  by  neglect  of  duty,  the  State  may 
intervene  to  protect  the  young  population  from  a  fatal  and  mutila- 
tive  disease.  This  disease  is  just  as  fatal  and  hideous  as  it  was  in 
the  last  century,  but  it  has  been  controlled  by  wise  and  beneficent 
laws.  Will  you  allow  the  country  to  slip  back  to  the  period  of 
voluntary  vaccination,  and  disseminate  many  thousands  of  new 
centres  of  contagion  among  the  community  ?  That  is  the  question 
which  you  are  asked  by  the  vote  to-night  to  determine." 

The  result  of  this  speech  on  the  House  of  Commons 
has  often  been  quoted  as  a  proof  how  much  effect  may 
be  produced  on  the  votes  upon  a  question  in  which 
political  differences  are  not  involved.     The  Government, 


300  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

which  expected  the  anti-vaccinators  to  be  victorious,  were 
surprised  at  the  success  of  the  amendment.  It  was  as 
follows  : — "  That  in  the  opinion  of  this  House  the  practice 
of  vaccination  has  greatly  lessened  the  mortality  from 
small-pox,  and  that  laws  relating  to  it,  with  such  modi- 
fications as  experience  may  suggest,  are  necessary  for  the 
prevention  and  mitigation  of  this  fatal  and  mutilative 
disease."  In  fact,  nearly  the  whole  House  walked  into 
the  division  lobby  with  me,  for  the  votes  were  : — 

For  Mr  Taylor's  motion  against  vaccination         .         .       16 
For  Sir  Lyon  Playfair's  amendment      ....     286 

Majority  ....     270 

Though  the  victory  was  crushing,  the  anti-vaccination 
societies  never  accepted  their  defeat,  and  tried  to  make  my 
life  miserable  by  incessant  personal  attacks.  These  attacks 
pleased  them,  but  did  not  hurt  or  even  annoy  me. 

At  the  end  of  1882  a  resolution  had  been  passed  appoint- 
ing Grand  Committees  to  consider  non-contentious  Bills. 
These  had  been  long  in  contemplation,  because  the  con- 
sideration of  such  Bills  by  a  Committee  of  the  whole  House 
practically  resolved  itself  into  a  Committee  of  persons 
specially  interested  in  the  subject-matter  of  the  Bill.  This 
devolution  of  business  was,  in  Mr  Gladstone's  opinion, 
one  of  the  most  important  measures  of  procedure  which 
the  House  could  adopt.  Two  Grand  Committees,  one  on 
Trade  and  the  other  on  Law,  were  appointed  in  1883  to 
examine  and  report  on  all  Bills  referred  to  them,  and  a 
panel  of  half  a  dozen  of  the  most  experienced  members  of 
the  House  was  appointed  from  which  a  chairman  should  be 
selected  to  preside  over  the  deliberations  of  the  Grand 
Committee  upon  each  separate  Bill.  Over  this  panel  of 
chairmen  I  acted  as  president.  The  experiment  of  these 
Grand  Committees  was  fairly  tried  in  1883  and  1884,  and 
gave  such  encouraging  results  that  when  Parliament  re- 
sumes its  legislative  functions  by  getting  rid  of  this  Irish 
difficulty,  it  will  doubtless  use  them  more  frequently  as  a 
means  of  devolving  detailed  work  upon  competent  bodies 
outside  the  House. 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  30I 

Playfair  always  regarded  it  as  one  of  the  less  fortunate 
incidents  of  his  life  that  he  had  been  induced  to  accept  the 
office  of  Chairman  of  Committees  at  a  time  when  the 
duties  of  that  post  were  of  peculiar  difficulty.  To  some, 
indeed,  it  is  a  surprise  that  he  should  have  refused  the 
post  of  chief  Whip,  which  was  offered  to  him  by  Mr 
Gladstone  in  the  Ministry  of  1S80.  It  is  true  that  from 
the  official  point  of  view,  the  Patronage  Secretary  to  the 
Treasury  holds  a  lower  position  in  the  Ministerial  hierarchy 
than  the  Postmaster-General,  and  Playfair  was  certainly 
entitled  by  his  services  to  a  much  higher  office  in  the 
new  Government.  But  there  have  been  many  cases  in 
which  men  have  made  a  heavy  sacrifice  in  nominal  position 
in  order  that  they  might  take  the  office  which,  next  to  that 
of  the  Prime  Minister  or  Leader  of  the  House,  is  of  greatest 
party  importance  in  the  House  of  Commons.  All  who 
knew  Playfair  must  have  felt  that  he  was  exceptionally 
well-equipped  for  the  duties  of  chief  Whip.  It  is  hardly 
an  exaggeration  to  say  that  from  1S50  onwards  he  had 
always  been  discharging  a  Whip's  duties  in  one  position  or 
another.  From  the  time  when  he  was  brought  in  contact 
with  the  Prince  Consort  during  the  preparations  for  the 
Exhibition  of  1851  he  was  always  one  of  those  who  were 
employed  behind  the  scenes,  and  was  always  engaged  in 
that  work  of  organisation  and  manipulation  which  is  the 
chief  task  laid  upon  a  Parliamentary  Whip.  His  brilliant 
success  in  conducting  many  difficult  negotiations  to  a 
successful  issue  justified  his  friends  in  believing  that 
in  his  hands  the  duties  of  the  chief  Whip  would  be  dis- 
charged in  the  most  effective  manner. 

It  might  indeed  be  difficult  to  understand  why 
Playfair  should  have  hesitated  to  accept  a  position  for 
which  he  was  so  eminently  qualified,  if  it  were  not  for 
one  reason — that  is  the  fact  that  the  chief  Whip  is 
essentially   a   party   man.      His   whole   work   is   devoted 


302  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

to  the  advancement  of  the  interests  of  his  own  party, 
and  it  is  for  that  object  that  he  may  be  said  to  live. 
Playfair,  as  the  reader  has  seen,  abstained  as  a  matter  of 
principle  from  any  keen  partisanship  whilst  he  remained 
member  for  the  University  of  Edinburgh.  This  was  the 
reason  which  led  him  to  turn  aside  from  the  proposal,  and 
to  accept  an  office  for  which,  as  it  turned  out,  he  was  not 
so  well  equipped  as  he  was  for  that  of  chief  Whip.  The 
story  he  has  told  of  his  occupancy  of  the  Chair  during  the 
stormy  Sessions  of  1880  and  1881  does  bare  justice  to  the 
work  he  accomplished  and  the  sacrifices  he  had  to  make 
during  his  tenure  of  office.  Upon  him  even  more  fully  than 
upon  the  Speaker  himself  fell  the  brunt  of  that  terrible  battle 
with  Irish  obstruction  in  the  course  of  which  Parliamentary 
procedure  nearly  suffered  shipwreck.  It  was  the  most 
trying  crisis  in  the  history  of  the  House  of  Commons  since 
the  days  of  the  Stuarts,  and  though  it  cannot  be  claimed  for 
Playfair  that  in  that  stormy  epoch  he  achieved  one  of  the 
notable  triumphs  of  his  life,  his  friends  may  justly  demand 
that  he  should  receive  credit  for  the  tenacity  with  which  he 
clung  to  his  post  and  discharged  his  duty  to  the  historic 
assembly  whose  fortunes  were  momentarily  committed  to 
his  keeping,  without  regard  to  the  sacrifices  which  his 
devotion  entailed  upon  himself. 

As  the  suspension  of  the  Irish  members  in  1882  was  an 
incident  of  grave  importance  in  the  history  of  the  House  of 
Commons,  it  may  be  well  to  supplement  Playfair's  state- 
ment in  the  foregoing  chapter  of  Autobiography  with  some 
of  the  documents  in  which  the  points  at  issue  are  stated 
with  greater  fulness. 

68,  Onslow  Gardens, 
Playfair  to  Mr  Speaker  Brand.  July  *7*h.  1882. 

Dear  Mr  Speaker, — I  enclose  a  memorandum  on 
the  action  taken  by  me  in  naming  members  on  July  1st. 
You  do  not  require  to  be  assured  that  I  carefully  followed 


CHAIRMAN  AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  303 

precedents  upon  that  occasion,  but  the  memorandum  may 
be  useful  to  Mr  Gladstone  in  considering  the  course  to  be 
pursued  in  relation  to  Mr  Gorst's  notice  of  a  vote  of  cen- 
sure on  the  Chairman.  That  notice,  and  the  two  amend- 
ments on  it  by  Mr  Dilhvyn  and  Mr  Anderson,  are  founded 
on  the  error  that  the  standing  order  is  limited  to  the 
suspension  of  individuals,  and  does  not  apply  to  a  combi- 
nation of  members  to  obstruct.  I  consider  it  to  be  of 
extreme  importance  that  they  should  be  met  by  a  counter 
motion  that  the  Chairman  acted  in  accordance  with  prece- 
dent when  he  applied  the  standing  order  to  a  combination. 
A  vote  of  the  House  in  this  sense  will  give  to  that  standing 
order  a  most  important  disciplinary  force.  To  the  personal 
censure  I  attach  very  little  importance,  but  to  Mr  Gorst's 
interpretation  of  the  standing  order  I  see  very  grave 
objections.  In  the  view  of  our  future  procedure  I  should 
be  glad  if  an  opportunity  were  given  to  discuss  it,  and 
meet  it  by  a  resolution  which  would  confirm  the  Speaker's 
and  Chairman's  interpretation  of  the  rule. 

Yours  sincerely, 

Lyon  Playfair. 

MEMORANDUM  as  to  the  action  of  the  Chairman  in  naming  Members 
on  Saturday,  July  1st,  1882. 

To  understand  the  ruling  of  the  Speaker  and  precedents  estab- 
lished for  the  enlarged  action  of  the  rule  of  28th  February,  1882, 
Standing  Order  173a,  it  is  necessary  to  refer  to  last  year's  proceedings 
during  the  protracted  sittings. 

(1)  On  the  1st  February,  1881,  Sir  Richard  Cross  appealed  to  the 
Speaker  to  rule  whether,  "  taking  into  consideration  the  speeches  of 
honourable  members,  and  the  whole  course  of  debate,  that  this  mode 
of  carrying  on  the  debate  is  not,  in  the  terms  of  the  rule,  persistent 
and  wilful  obstruction  of  the  business  of  the  House." 

Upon  this  the  Speaker  gave  a  clear  ruling,  all  of  which  bears  on 
the  point,  but  of  which  the  following  extract  is  sufficient  for  explana- 
tion :  "  If  I  found  that  there  was  a  distinct  and  clear  combination 
on  the  part  of  members  of  this  House  wilfully  and  persistently  to 
obstruct  the  business  of  the  House  by  combination,  I  should  consider 
that  this  Standing  Order  should  apply." 

The  Speaker  left  the  chair,  and  Mr  Playfair,  as  Deputy  Speaker, 
took  the  chair.     Early  in  the  morning  of  Wednesday,  2nd  February, 


304  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Sir  Stafford  Northcote  pressed  him  to  apply  the  rule  as  interpreted 
by  the  Speaker,  and  Mr  Childers  promised  the  support  of  the  Govern- 
ment if  the  Deputy  Speaker  would  so  enforce  the  rule.  The  debate 
went  on,  the  Irish  members  protesting  against  such  an  application 
of  the  rule,  and  some  English  members  desiring  that  it  should  be 
so  enforced. 

After  hearing  these  observations  the  Deputy  Speaker  again  read 
the  ruling  of  Mr  Speaker,  given  before  he  left  the  Chair,  and  then 
spoke  as  follows : — "  Agreeing  with  Mr  Speaker  that  what  has 
occurred  in  the  debate  would  go  far  to  bring  some  of  the  members 
who  have  taken  part  in  it  within  the  scope  of  the  Standing  Order  if 
they  individually  persisted  in  obstruction  when  called  upon  to  desist, 
I  shall  watch  with  great  care  that  no  waste  of  the  time  of  the  House  takes 
place  on  Motions  of  Adjournment.'1'' 

The  House,  which  was  of  course  ignorant  that  the  Speaker 
intended  next  morning  to  close  the  debate,  strongly  manifested 
disapproval  that  I  did  not  at  once  name  the  members  obstructing, 
and  the  Conservatives  in  a  body  rose  up  and  left  the  House  with  a 
certain  number  of  Liberal  members.  A  division  on  the  question  of 
adjournment  soon  followed.  As  I  left  the  Chair  for  the  retiring 
room  I  found  Mr  Parnell  and  the  leading  Home  Rulers  waiting  for 
me  behind  the  Chair ;  and  they  asked  me  to  explain  what  I  meant 
by  the  portion  of  the  ruling  which  I  have  underlined.  I  stated  that 
while  the  rule  had  hitherto  been  applied  to  individual  cases  of 
obstruction,  it  was  now  extended  to  combination  ;  and  while  I  would 
apply  the  rule  to  individuals  in  the  old  way,  I  should  consider  con- 
tinued dilatory  motions  for  adjournment  as  a  proof  of  combination, 
and  I  would  apply  it  to  all  members  taking  part  in  them.  The  Home 
Rulers  then  made  no  more  such  motions,  but  spoke  on  the  main 
question  till  the  Speaker  resumed  the  Chair  next  morning  and  ended 
the  debate.  That  they  fully  understood  this  interpretation  is  shown 
by  the  fact  that  they  did  not  then,  nor  have  they  ever  since, 
obstructed  by  continued  dilatory  motions. 

(2)  Up  to  this  time  there  had  been  no  precedent  for  applying  the 
Standing  Order  to  more  than  one  member,  a  separate  vote  being 
taken  on  each.  On  the  3rd  February  the  double  action  of  the  rule 
was  enforced.  Three  members  (Dillon,  Parnell  and  Finigan)  per- 
sisted in  motions  that  Mr  Gladstone  be  no  further  heard,  which  Mr 
Speaker  ruled  were  evidence  of  wilful  and  persistent  obstruction, 
and  they  were  individually  named  and  suspended.  Then  twenty- 
eight  members  defied  the  authority  of  the  Chair,  although  admonished, 
and  the  Speaker  named  the  whole  twenty-eight  members  to  the 
House  as  defying  the  authority  of  the  Chair.  Thereupon  Mr 
Gladstone  moved  in  a  single  resolution  that  the  twenty-eight 
members  (naming  them)  be  severally  suspended. 

Note. — This  action  of  Mr  Speaker  and  of  Mr  Gladstone  in  naming 
and  moving  the  suspension  of  the  twenty-eight  members  in  a  single 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  305 

resolution  was  challenged  at  the  time  by  Mr  A.  J.  Balfour  and  Mr 
Gorst,  and  was  over-ruled. 

(3)  Mr  Playfair  acted  on  these  precedents  with  great  care.  The 
Committee  had  lasted  for  twenty-three  days,  and  the  debate  on  the 
17th  Clause  for  nineteen  hours,  when  he  acted.  On  the  previous 
evening,  30th  June,  an  appeal  was  made  to  the  Chair  whether  the 
time  had  not  come  to  put  an  end  to  these  proceedings.  Mr  Playfair 
then  said,  "The  time  has  come  when  I  must  seriously  call  the 
attention  of  the  Committee  to  the  very  prolonged  mode  in  which 
these  debates  are  being  carried  on,  and  I  trust  that  the  Committee 
will  support  me  in  my  efforts  to  confine  the  speeches  of  members 
directly  to  the  amendment."  The  Home  Secretary  (Sir  William 
Harcourt)  said :  "  On  a  Clause  of  secondary  importance,  a  Clause 
which  involves  no  constitutional  principle,  time  has  been  expended 
equal  to  two  whole  working  days  of  the  House  of  Commons,  to  the 
enormous  inconvenience  of  individual  members  and  to  the  scandal 
of  the  country.  It  has  been  done  deliberately ;  it  has  doubtless 
been  done  in  an  adroit  manner,  but  it  has  been  done  intentionally 
and  the  adroitness  has  not  in  the  least  degree  concealed  the  deliber- 
ate intention  of  blocking  and  impeding  a  measure  for  the  prevention 
of  crime  in  Ireland.  This  is  a  course  of  proceeding  which  I  ask  the 
House  and  the  country  to  take  note  of,  because  in  view  of  the  terrible 
condition  of  Ireland,  the  time  has  come  when  this  House  should 
adopt  some  method  of  putting  an  end  to  this  course  of  proceeding." 

Sir  Stafford  Northcote  then  spoke  as  follows  : — "  The  Home  Secre- 
tary spoke  in  the  name,  not  of  the  Government  nor  of  himself  in- 
dividually, but  of  the  whole  House  generally.  The  House  is  well 
aware  of  the  real  situation,  and  it  is  an  insult  to  our  common  sense 
to  divert  us  from  the  real  situation  by  such  flimsy  pretexts  as  have 
been  put  forward  during  the  time  I  have  been  in  the  House.  Do 
hon.  gentlemen  suppose  that  those  who  have  been  away  for  some 
hours  are  not  perfectly  aware  of  the  tactics  intended  to  be  pursued  ? " 

Mr  Playfair  had  left  the  Chair  at  1  a.m.,  but  he  never  left  the 
House.  He  was  up  from  his  sofa  at  6  a.m.  trying  to  gather  all  the 
information  of  the  proceedings  during  his  few  hours'  absence,  and 
he  had  a  careful  precis  of  the  above  speeches  made  for  him  by  Mr 
Shaw  Lefevre,  who  was  in  the  Chair.  At  g  a.m.  Mr  Playfair  resumed 
the  Chair,  and  found  the  Committee  fully  engaged  in  discussing 
obstruction  and  not  the  clause.  Unwilling  still  to  act,  he  brought 
the  Committee  back  to  the  clause,  but  the  House  was  in  no  humour 
to  continue.  Repeated  appeals  were  made  to  him  to  exercise  the 
authority  of  the  Chair.  Mr  Biddulph  rose  and  asked  whether  the 
time  had  not  come  to  bring  this  farce  to  an  end.  Thereupon  Mr 
Playfair  spoke  as  follows 1 : — 

#  *  #  #  # 

1  Playfair's  reply  has  already  been  given  in  his  Autobiography  on  p.  294. 
— Editor. 

U 


306  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

The  warning  of  the  preceding  night  and  this  express  warning 
were  followed  by  no  results.  Mr  Redmond  continued  the  debate 
with  the  same  irrelevance,  and  had  to  be  repeatedly  called  to  order 
for  irrelevant  talk.  Finding  the  warning  of  the  Chair  treated  with 
contempt,  and  the  sense  of  the  House  strongly  expressed,  the  Chair- 
man named  to  the  Committee  sixteen  members.  To  meet  combined 
obstruction  the  rule  had  to  be  applied  with  sufficient  force,  and  these 
names  were  selected  after  careful  consideration  of  the  number  of 
times  they  had  spoken  and  voted  in  dilatory  amendments.  That 
some  members  were  absent  at  the  time  in  relays,  did  not  exclude 
them  from  a  rule  applying  to  combination.  I  conclude  by  stating 
that  I  acted  strictly  according  to  precedent  and  to  the  sense  of  the 
Committee.  When,  a  few  hours  later,  more  members  were  sus- 
pended, I  followed  the  same  precedents,  and  did  not  act  till  after 
due  warning,  and  till  I  had  ascertained  the  general  sense  of  the 
House,  as  explained  by  the  leaders  on  both  sides,  and  by  unmis- 
takable evidence  from  the  body  of  the  House.  If  the  Speaker's 
view  and  my  own  of  the  extent  of  the  rule  be  right,  there  certainly 
was  no  impatience  shown  in  acting  upon  the  sense  of  the  Com- 
mittee, and  every  part  of  the  precedent  was  followed  to  the  minutest 

detail. 

Lyon  Playfair. 

I  have  quoted  this  memorandum  at  full  length  because 
Playfair  is  entitled  to  have  his  defence  of  an  act  which  was 
severely  criticised  at  the  time  placed  before  the  world.  No 
one  now  will  question  the  extreme  difficulty  of  the  position 
in  which  he  was  placed,  nor  will  anyone  deny  that  he  did 
not  merit  the  harsh  judgments  which  it  pleased  certain 
politicians  of  both  parties  to  pass  upon  him.  He  was  in 
the  unfortunate  position  of  having  to  wield  great  and 
exceptional  powers,  whilst  holding  an  office  to  which  the 
House  of  Commons  did  not  attach  great  or  exceptional 
authority.  The  House  had  bowed  to  the  ruling  of  the 
Speaker  in  the  previous  year,  when  he  had  executed  a  coup 
d'etat  in  the  interests  of  freedom  of  debate.  The  majority 
of  its  members  were  desirous  that  a  similar  stroke  should 
be  dealt  at  obstruction  in  1882  by  the  Chairman  of  Com- 
mittees ;  and  Playfair,  seeing  clearly  that  the  vital  interests 
of  Parliamentary  debate  and  his  own  duty  as  Chairman 
demanded  this  action,  was  courageous  enough  to  take  it. 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  307 

He  acted,  as  his  memorandum  shows,  with  the  strictest 
regard  to  precedent.  He  certainly  did  not  act  hurriedly  or 
under  the  influence  of  any  mental  excitement.  He  bore 
with  provocations  which  the  leaders  of  both  parties  had 
declared  to  be  insufferable,  and  he  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  the 
taunts  and  gibes  of  those  who,  forgetting  the  difficulties  of 
his  position,  believed  that  he  was  neglecting  his  obvious 
duty  as  Chairman  by  not  putting  a  speedier  end  to  the 
obstruction  practised  by  the  Irish  members.  When  at  last 
he  acted  he  did  so  with  thoroughness  and  efficiency.  The 
barrier  of  obstruction  which  had  been  reared  was  swept 
away,  and  the  Bill  was  enabled  to  proceed  through  Com- 
mittee. But  no  sooner  had  this  step  been  taken  than  he 
became  the  subject  of  the  severe  criticisms  of  which  he  has 
spoken  in  his  chapter  of  Autobiography.  Many  of  the  men 
who  had  been  loudest  in  denouncing  obstruction  now 
turned  round,  after  the  easy  fashion  of  Parliamentary 
politicians,  and  denounced  the  agent  by  whom  the  ob- 
struction had  been  overcome.  Playfair,  who  had  been 
blamed  in  the  first  instance  for  his  imagined  weakness, 
was  blamed  now  on  the  ground  that  he  had  overstrained 
his  authority.  It  is  a  story  with  which  most  men  who 
have  been  mixed  up  with  public  affairs  are  only  too 
painfully  familiar.  I  do  not  say  that  Playfair  was  to  any 
unusual  degree  a  victim  of  the  tendency  of  Parliamentary 
parties  to  oscillate  between  one  extreme  and  another. 
All  that  I  claim  for  him  is  that  his  plain  exposition  of 
his  own  action  should  have  due  weight  given  to  it,  and 
that  the  censures  to  which  he  was  exposed  at  the  time 
by  those  who  proclaimed  that  his  Chairmanship  of  Com- 
mittees was  a  failure  should  be  treated  as  being  worth  just 
what  they  were. 

Nevertheless,  it  is  idle  to  conceal  the  fact  that  Playfair's 
chairmanship  was  wrecked  upon  that  rock  of  the  Irish 
question  which  has  proved  fatal  to  so  many  Parliamentary 


308  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

reputations.  He  had  to  stand  in  the  breach,  as  I  have 
already  said,  at  a  most  critical  moment  in  the  history  of 
the  House  of  Commons.  He  did  his  duty  manfully,  and 
the  world  knows  now  that  to  him  and  to  Mr  Brand 
the  House  of  Commons  is  indebted  for  the  fact  that  its 
freedom  of  action  and  debate  was  not  submerged  under 
the  flood  of  revolutionary  obstruction.  It  was  the  au- 
thority which  these  two  men  exercised,  the  one  as  Speaker 
and  the  other  as  Chairman  of  Committees,  that  brought 
the  whole  question  of  obstruction  to  a  head,  and  compelled 
the  unwilling  Government — or  one  ought  rather  to  say,  the 
unwilling  leaders  of  both  political  parties — to  recognise  the 
fact  that  circumstances  imperatively  demanded  some  altera- 
tion in  the  old  rules  of  the  House  of  Commons.  Whatever 
else  may  be  denied  to  Playfair  in  connection  with  his 
Chairmanship  of  Committees,  it  is  hardly  possible  to 
deny  to  him  the  credit  of  having  had  a  substantial 
share  in  that  amendment  of  the  rules  of  Parliament 
which  has  once  more  made  debate  possible  despite  the 
tactics  of  deliberate  and  intentional  obstruction. 

The  letter  marked  "  Private  and  confidential,"  to  which 
Playfair  alludes  in  his  Autobiography  as  having  been 
received  by  him  from  Mr  Gladstone  after  his  announce- 
ment of  his  intended  retirement  from  the  Chairmanship, 
is  as  follows  : — 

io,  Downing  Street,  Whitehall, 
Mr  Gladstone  to  Playfair.  August  4h,  1882. 

My  dear  Mr  Playfair, — I  receive  your  letter  with 
much  regret.  When  you  come  to  act  upon  the  inten- 
tion you  describe  as  formed,  it  will  not  be  an  easy  matter 
to  fill  your  place.  There  is  certainly  a  point  at  which 
domestic  calls  must  begin  to  assert  themselves  against 
Parliamentary  engagements.  I  am  very  glad,  however, 
that  you  do  not  contemplate  any  early  step,  and  that  you 
propose  to  keep  your  determination  secret  until  the  time 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  309 

for  acting  upon  it  shall  come  near.  It  would  be  disastrous 
were  either  the  act  or  the  promulgation  to  be  so  timed  as 
to  stand  in  any  apparent  connection  with  the  late  struggle 
to  maintain  the  authority  of  the  Chair.  Unquestionably 
the  burdens  of  your  office  have  been  beyond  all  common 
measure  ;  but  it  is  (as  they  say)  upon  the  cards  that  they 
may  be  prospectively  lightened  by  an  effective  measure  of 
devolution,  if  the  House  can  muster  sufficient  courage  to 
adopt  one.  Should  such  a  thing  happen,  there  will  be 
nothing  so  far  as  I  am  concerned  to  hinder  your  recon- 
sideration of  the  subject  of  your  letter. 

Believe  me, 

Most  faithfully  yours, 

W.  E.  Gladstone. 

Same  to  the  same.  Hawarden  Castle.  January  3rd,  1883. 

My  dear  Mr  Playfair, — I  lose  no  time  in  informing 
you  that  we  have  decided  on  proposing  Sir  Arthur  Otway 
as  your  successor  in  those  offices  of  Chairman  of  Com- 
mittees and  Deputy  Speaker  which  you  have  discharged 
with  so  much  ability  in  such  difficult  times.  It  is  almost 
superfluous  for  me  to  bespeak  your  interest  on  behalf  of 
Sir  Arthur  Otway,  who  will,  I  have  no  doubt,  at  once 
apply  his  very  considerable  Parliamentary  abilities  to  the 
work  of  acquiring  the  special  knowledge  necessary  for  the 
office  for  which  he  will  be,  I  hope,  a  successful  candidate. 

Believe  me, 

Most  faithfully  yours, 

W.  E.  Gladstone. 

26,  Lower  Belgrave  Street, 

Sir  Arthur  Otway  to  Playfair.  February  17th,  1883. 

My  dear  Mr  Playfair, — I  thank  you  for  affording 
me  a  perusal  of  your  able  memorandum  relative  to  the 
suspension  of  the  Irish  members  in  July  last. 

I  have  no  doubt  that  the  effects  of  your  action  will  be 
beneficial  should  unhappily  a  similar  state  of  things  arise. 


310  .  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

I  must  offer  you  a  word  of  congratulation  on  the 
"evident  sense  of  the  House"  on  your  taking  the  Chair 
last  night.  It  would  have  pleased  you  to  know  the 
observations  which  reached  my  ears,  sitting  at  the  end 
of  the  Opposition  benches  near  the  Chair. 

I  am, 

Very  truly  yours, 

Arthur  Otway. 

Before  I  leave  this  question  of  the  suspension  of  the  Irish 
members,  and  the  consequent  amendment  of  the  forms  of 
the  House  with  a  view  to  the  prevention  of  organised 
obstruction,  I  may  quote  the  following  correspondence 
which  passed  between  Playfair  and  Mr  Chaplin  as  a  con- 
sequence of  a  speech  in  which  the  latter  had  cast  some 
doubt  upon  the  principles  on  which  the  former  had  acted. 

Playfair  to  the  Right  Hon.  Henry  Chaplin. 

November  14th,  1882. 

Dear  Mr  Chaplin, — I  observe  in  reading  your  speech 
that  you  asked  me  the  specific  question  as  to  whether 
I  accepted  the  interpretation  of  the  Speaker  that  "  the 
general  sense  of  the  House  "  meant  the  sense  of  the  House 
at  large.  Had  I  been  in  my  place  during  your  speech, 
I  would  gladly  have  answered  your  question.  Before 
doing  so,  let  me  remind  you  of  a  precedent  which  I  tried 
to  establish  on  the  1st  of  July  last.  The  suspensory  rule 
was  then  to  be  applied  to  combined  obstruction.  That 
rule  leaves  the  initiative  to  the  Chairman.  But  no  Chair- 
man could  act  under  such  circumstances  without  believing 
that  he  did  so  in  accordance  with  the  general  sense  of  the 
House.  The  Chair  during  the  night  had  repeated  appeals 
from  individual  members  to  put  an  end  to  the  obstruction. 
My  own  view  of  the  position  had  been  expressed  on  the 
preceding  day  by  an  emphatic  warning.  It  was  not,  how- 
ever, until  the  Home  Secretary  made  a  solemn  protest 
against  obstruction,  and  till  Sir  Stafford  Northcote  stated 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  311 

that  this  protest  expressed  the  opinion,  not  only  of  the 
Opposition  but  of  the  House  at  large,  that  I  considered 
the  time  had  come  to  apply  the  rule  in  the  large  sense 
'aid  down  by  the  Speaker  in  the  previous  year.  Upon 
this  belief  I  acted  in  taking  the  initiative  to  suspend  the 
first  list  of  members.  Later  in  the  day  obstruction  again 
appeared,  and  individual  members  once  more  appealed  to 
the  Chair  to  apply  the  suspensory  rule.  I  replied  that  my 
own  opinion  as  to  the  existence  of  obstruction  was  decided  ; 
but  before  taking  the  initiative  I  waited  to  see  whether 
the  general  desire  of  the  House  was  with  me.  When  Sir 
R  chard  Cross,  then  in  charge  of  the  Opposition  Front 
Bench,  and  Mr  Gladstone,  in  charge  of  the  Government 
Front  Bench,  both  expressed  their  view  that  obstruction 
prevailed,  I  felt  that  I  had  gathered  the  general  sense  of 
the  House,  and  that  I  was  justified  in  taking  the  initiative. 
Having  thus  tried  to  establish  a  precedent  that  the  sus- 
pensory rule  as  applied  to  combined  obstruction  should 
only  be  exercised  as  an  expression  of  the  House  at  large, 
you  can  have  no  doubt  as  to  my  full  accordance  with  the 
interpretation  which  the  Speaker  has  given  of  a  rule 
which  expressly  enjoins  that  the  Chair  shall  only  take 
the  initiative  when  it  has  ascertained  the  general  sense  of 
the  House. 

The  Right  Hon.  Henry  Chaplin  to  Play/air. 

Stafford  House,  November  15th,  1882. 

Dear  Mr  Playfair, — I  have  to  thank  you  for  your 
letter  which  I  have  received  to-night,  and  for  your  very 
courteous  reply  to  my  inquiry.  I  raised  the  question  in 
the  House  of  Commons  regarding  your  opinion,  in  common 
with  many  of  my  friends,  upon  the  interpretation  to  be 
placed  upon  the  first  resolution,  as  of  the  first  importance  ; 
and  it  is  gratifying  to  find  from  your  letter  that  our  antici- 
pations and  hopes  are  equally  fulfilled.  I  do  not  know 
how  far  I  may  be  justified  in  making  it  known,  or  whether 
you  would  wish  it  to  be  public,  but  under  any  circum- 
stances I  should  be  glad,  with  your  permission,  to  make  it 
known  among  the  members  of  the  party  who  have  looked 


312  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

with  so  much   aversion   upon   the   first  resolution  in  its 
present  form. 

Believe  me, 

Yours  very  truly, 

Henry  Chaplin. 

The  battle  between  the  authorities  of  the  House  and  the 
forces  of  obstruction  has  been  dwelt  upon  already  in  this 
chapter  at  sufficient  length.  That  Playfair  had  to  take  an 
important  part  in  that  struggle  I  have  endeavoured  to  show, 
nor  can  he  be  denied  the  credit  which  I  have  claimed  ior 
him  of  a  not  inconsiderable  share  in  the  ultimate  triunroh 
of  Parliamentary  procedure  over  Parliamentary  lawless- 
ness. There  was,  however,  another  side  to  Playfair  s  life 
as  Chairman  of  Committees  upon  which  he  has  touched 
but  lightly  in  his  Reminiscences.  The  outside  world  has 
but  a  limited  conception  of  the  labours  which  fall  to  the 
lot  of  its  public  servants.  Above  all,  it  has  little  knowledge 
of  the  strain  which  is  thrown  upon  members  of  a  Govern- 
ment during  their  term  of  office.  "  Flesh  and  blood  cannot 
stand  more  than  five  years  of  official  life  at  a  stretch,"  are 
the  words  said  to  have  been  uttered  by  a  distinguished 
Minister  of  the  Crown.  The  burden  laid  upon  flesh  and 
blood  in  all  the  offices  of  the  State  is  undoubtedly  a  heavy 
one,  and  Playfair  had  to  bear  his  full  share  of  that  burden 
during  his  Chairmanship  of  Committees.  Some  idea  of  its 
weight  will  be  gathered  from  the  subjoined  extracts  from 
letters  to  his  wife,  who  had  preceded  him  on  their  annual 
visit  to  America,  at  this  period  of  his  career.  These  letters 
deal  only  with  the  proceedings  of  a  few  days,  and  yet  they 
furnish  the  reader  with  a  startling  glimpse  of  what  passes 
behind  the  scenes  at  times  when  the  outer  world  sees  only 
the  public  aspect  of  the  questions  at  issue.  It  was  the 
cruel  pressure  of  this  burden  far  more  than  the  difficulty 
of  deciding  upon  the  nicest  questions  of  Parliamentary 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  313 

procedure  at  a  moment's  notice,  that  led  Playfair  to  retire 
from  his  post  of  Chairman  of  Committees.  Whilst  he  held 
that  post  all  his  other  occupations  were  of  necessity  brought 
to  a  standstill.  Even  with  all  his  immense  power  of  work, 
he  could  not  combine  with  his  official  duties  his  usual  course 
of  study  and  labour.  As  for  his  domestic  peace,  and  the 
possibility  of  enjoying  the  repose  and  happiness  of  his  own 
home,  it  was,  for  the  time  being,  absolutely  destroyed. 
These  were  the  urgent  reasons  which  led  him  to  retire 
from  his  office  after  the  Session  of  1882  had  come  to  an 
end ;  and  that  they  were  substantial  reasons  the  letters  I 
subjoin  will  conclusively  prove. 

Playfair  to  his  Wife.  August  18th,  1880. 

The  Session  shows  no  sign  of  drawing  to  a  close.  Last 
night  we  passed  only  14  votes  out  of  68,  and  we  had 
calculated  on  passing  42,  so  the  prospect  is  bad  enough.  I 
fear  that  we  shall  sit  till  the  first  fortnight  of  September.  I 
am  right  glad  that  you  are  out  of  it,  and  will  get  some 
summer.  The  very  first  day  I  am  at  liberty  will  see  me  on 
board,  though  I  fear  the  voyage  will  be  uncomfortable 
with  Equinoctial  gales.  The  poor  Baltic  was  run  down 
yesterday  in  the  Mersey,  and  has  to  go  into  dock,  so  there 
is  one  ship  less  for  the  traffic.  To-night  I  dine  with  Lord 
Granville,  so  there  will  be  a  little  break  in  the  monotony 
of  work. 

Auntie  says,  "Fly  to  good  E as  quickly  as  possible." 

No  need  to  counsel  me  to  do  this,  as  it  is  the  only  pleasant 
waking  dream  I  have  amid  the  chatter  of  the  obstruc- 
tionists. 

Same  to  the  same.  August  19th,  1880. 

I  am  so  kept  up  to  the  collar  just  now  that  I  positively 
have  not  a  moment  to  write.  I  was  home  at  4  a.m. 
to-day,  and  now  at  12  am  just  going  into  the  Chair,  with 
five  minutes  to  eat  something.  But  I  do  not  like  to  let 
you  be  without  a  line.     I   am  wonderfully  well,  though 


314  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

how  I  shall  stand  Saturday  and  the  great  Irish  attack  on 
Monday  and  Tuesday,  when  we  are  threatened  with  forty- 
eight  hours'  consecutive  sitting,  remains  to  be  seen. 

Hartington  spoke  yesterday  of  the  4th  for  prorogation, 
but  I  think  that  too  sanguine.  In  that  case  I  could  sail 
on  the  2nd. 

Same  to  the  same.  Saturday,  August  21st,  1880. 

Still  no  surety  of  the  end  of  the  Session,  but  I  have  faint 
hopes  that  I  may  get  away  on  the  2nd,  if  the  House 
adjourn  that  week.  Everything  will  depend  on  the  Irish 
row  on  Monday  and  Tuesday.  They  still  threaten  a  forty- 
eight  hours'  sitting ;  I  have  stipulated  in  that  case  for  a 
chairman  to  take  my  place  for  six  hours  on  the  second  day. 
I  am  quite  up  to  twenty-four  hours  on  a  stretch.  If  this 
breaks  down  with  a  single  day  of  twenty-four  hours  we 
may  finish  by  the  4th.  I  am  now  going  upstairs  to  pack 
up  for  Brighton.  I  thought  of  Tunbridge,  but  I  wish  some 
sea  air  and  some  cheerfulness  to  prepare  me  for  Monday. 
"  Order,  Order,"  "  The  ayes  have  it,"  "  Strangers  must 
withdraw,"  become  very  monotonous  duties  of  a  Chairman, 
and  require  some  alleviation. 

Same  to  the  same.  Brighton,  Sunday,  August  22nd,  1880. 

To-morrow  is  to  be  the  great  trial  of  physical  strength 
between  the  Irish  and  ourselves,  so  I  may  have  no  time  to 
write  for  two  or  three  days.  Their  tactics  are  to  prevent 
Irish  Estimates  being  passed,  and  to  keep  me  in  the  Chair 
as  long  as  physical  endurance  permits.  Of  course  some 
amateur  chairmen  must  be  provided  to  help  me.  So  I 
have  come  here  to  lay  in  a  stock  of  health  and  sleep,  and 
the  weather  is  glorious,  and  the  result  much  better  than  at 
Henley.  I  have  been  sunning  myself  all  day.  I  sat  down 
on  the  pier  beside  a  queer-looking  man,  who,  when  he 
stood  up,  was  nearly  eight  feet  high,  and  then  I  recognised 
him  as  the  Norwegian  giant,  who  has  been  exhibiting  at 
the  Aquarium  in  London  for  1/-.  As  my  stature  did  not 
contrast  favourably  with  his  I  quickly  got  out  of  proximity 


CHAIRMAN  AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  315 

to  him.  I  had  hoped  your  telegram  would  have  reached  in 
time  yesterday,  but  when  I  left  at  two  it  had  not  arrived, 
nor  could  it  before  post-time,  5.30,  as  I  told  them  to  send 
it  on.  You  must  therefore  have  had  rather  a  slow  passage. 
But  I  think  with  so  much  pleasure  that  you  are  now,  at 
least,  with  your  father,  and  you  may  even  be  in  the  act  ot 
taking  the  11  o'clock  train  on  Sunday  for  Nahant — for 
though  it  is  three  here,  it  is  earlier  with  you. 

I  hope  that  my  eyes  will  be  cheered  with  the  news  ot 
the  arrival  of  the  ship  in  the  'Times'  to-morrow.  "Eyes" 
remind  me  that  I  should  not  be  writing  even  to  you 
to-day,  as  they  require  all  the  nursing  I  can  give  them 
for  the  long  sitting  in  prospect. 

Same  to  the  same.  Tuesday,  August  24th,  1880. 

I  am  so  pleased  to  think  that  as  I  am  writing  (12.30) 
you  are  probably  in  the  act  of  going  down  to  your  first 
breakfast  in  the  dear  home.  I  am  so  rejoiced  that  you 
went,  and  that  you  will  have  some  summer  weather  at 
Nahant.  Last  night  was  to  be  the  first  of  our  forty-eight 
hours'  fight  with  the  Irish.  They  were  very  excitable,  and 
determined  that  we  should  not  get  a  single  vote  in  supply. 
About  11.30  I  found  that  the  Government  had  failed  to  get 
any  reason  out  of  them,  so  I  asked  Lord  Harrington  to  let 
me  try  my  powers  of  conciliation.  Accordingly,  as  the 
Speaker  was  in  the  Chair  and  likely  to  be  kept  all  night — 
for  their  tactics  were  to  prevent  me  getting  into  it — I  laid 
myself  in  the  way  of  the  more  moderate  and  influential 
men,  and  pointed  out  how  much  their  motives  would  be 
misconstrued  by  the  country.  I  then  suggested  that  they 
might  take  the  non-contentious  votes  in  supply  that  night, 
and  take  the  constabulary  vote  to-day.  Most  of  the  Irish 
laughed  at  me,  and  told  me  I  should  not  succeed,  as  they 
had  held  a  meeting  and  determined  on  obstruction.  How- 
ever, after  a  little  I  talked  them  over,  and  at  one  got  into 
the  Chair  and  passed  twelve  votes,  greatly  to  their  own 
surprise  and  that  of  the  Government,  who  have  asked  me 
to  take  the  management  of  affairs  to-day  also.  So  instead 
of  sitting  up  forty-eight  hours  I  got  to  bed  at  three.  To-day 


316  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

the  job  is  more  difficult,  but  the  Irish  like  me,  and  will  do 
a  good  deal  to  please  me. 

I  have  some  hopes  that  I  may  sail  in  the  Adriatic  on 
the  7th.  This  is  by  no  means  sure,  and  will  depend 
much  upon  our  progress  to-day. 

Same  to  the  same.  August  26th,  1880. 

Still  uncertain  news  as  to  my  chance  of  leaving.  It  all 
depends  on  to-night's  battle.  Hitherto  we  have  shirked 
fighting  the  Irish,  but  we  have  determined  to  sit  up  to- 
night. So  I  have  brought  razor  and  toothbrush  !  My 
purpose  is  to  sit  up  all  through  the  night  till  6  a.m.,  and 
then  ask  relief  till  12.  I  shall  get  five  hours'  sleep,  a  wash, 
and  some  breakfast— of  course  not  going  home  but  sleeping 
in  the  House,  so  that  if  the  amateur  Chairman  cannot  keep 
order  I  may  be  called  in.  If  we  break  the  neck  of  this 
senseless  obstruction  in  one  night's  sitting,  I  may  be  able 
to  get  away  in  the  Adriatic  on  the  7th,  presuming  that  I 
can  get  a  passage  in  her. 

Same  to  the  same.  August  30th,  1880. 

I  have  had  a  very  heavy  week  of  it.     I  give  you  a  diary. 

Thursday — Chair  5  p.m.,  continued  in  it  to  6.20  a.m. 
Friday,  then  slept  one  and  a  half  hours  ;  rested 
on  couch  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  dressed, 
breakfasted,  and  consulted  Speaker  again. 

10  a.m.  in  Chair,  continued  till  1.  Went  home,  had 
four  hours'  sleep,  returned  to  House  and  took  Chair 
9  p.m.  till  3.20  a.m.  Saturday  morning.  Went 
home,  got  five  hours'  sleep,  and  took  Chair — 
(Saturday). 

12  a.m.,  and  continued  with  ten  minutes'  intermission 
for  lunch  at  3  till  11.30  p.m.  I  got  hold  of  two 
ham  sandwiches  during  a  division,  and  munched 
them  secretly  in  the  Chair  about  10. 

On  Sunday  I  had  my  revenge,  and  did  not  rise  till  12. 
I  went  out  in  the  afternoon  to  the  Grant  Duffs',  who 
had  the  Osborne  Morgans  with  them.     They  wished  me 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  317 

to  stay  for  the  night,  but  I  longed  for  my  own  bed  and  no 
need  for  rising  early.  I  am  as  fresh  as  a  lark  still,  but  the 
poor  Speaker  looks  jaded  and  worn.  I  fancy  it  must  be 
worse  sitting  up  doing  nothing  than  being  actively  engaged. 
At  9.30  on  Friday  morning,  when  I  was  shaved,  dressed, 
and  breakfasted,  I  found  the  Speaker  sitting  in  a  very  dusty 
Court  dress,  unshaven  and  battered,  in  his  armchair.  He 
was  asleep,  but  uncomfortably  so.  He  told  me  he  had 
passed  most  of  the  night  in  Mrs  Brand's  gallery,  pitying 
me  being  badgered  by  the  Irish  obstructives,  while  I 
enjoyed  the  fun.  The  House  has  certainly  been  much 
pleased  at  my  endurance,  for  they  always  cheer  me 
loudly  as  I  leave  the  Chair.  I  have  taken  my  passage 
in  the  Adriatic  for  the  7th — or  rather  have  written  for 
one — so  I  shall  soon  join  my  lassie  and  her  and  my 
dear  ones  over  the  water. 

Playfair  returned  from  America  at  the  close  of  1880 
completely  restored  to  his  usual  state  of  vigorous  health. 

Same  to  the  same.  December  15th,  1881. 

Count  Bismarck  and  I  left  [ Walmer  Castle]  at  1 1  to-day 
and  returned  home.  Yesterday  we  had  two  Engineer 
officers  from  Dover  who  joined  our  party,  but  they  were 
strangers  to  Lord  and  Lady  Granville,  and  were  shy,  so 
they  did  not  add  to  our  entertainment. 

I  enjoyed  my  visit  much,  and  got  to  like  the  children, 
especially  the  heir,  Lord  Leveson.  He  is  nine,  but  singularly 
intelligent,  and  we  had  nice  walks  together.  He  told  his 
mamma  that  he  had  never  seen  such  a  man,  for  stories  ran 
out  of  my  brain  as  fast  as  he  asked  for  a  new  one !  And 
he  asked  me  to  write  a  book  for  children  ! 

I  went  up  to  the  school-room,  which  no  visitor  had  ever 
done,  and  told  the  girls  about  the  habits  of  animals,  and  I 
think  was  popular  with  all  the  young  ones. 

When  I  came  to  the  hotel  I  found  your  two  dear  letters. 
I  am  so  glad  that  you  got  on  so  comfortably,  and  that  you 
enjoy  yourselves. 


3l8  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

From  the  correspondence  which  Playfair  maintained  with 
the  family  of  his  wife,  I  make  the  following  extracts  : — 

Playfair  to  S.  H.  Russell,  Esq.  February  22nd,  1879. 

Our  politics  just  now  are  very  uninteresting  ;  both  Lords 
and  Commons  feel  that  the  Parliament  is  old  and  nearly 
moribund,  and  there  is  little  interest  felt  in  our  discussions, 
either  inside  or  outside  the  House.  The  Zulu  war  is  a  sad 
affair,  but  inevitable.  Our  colonies  in  South  Africa  have  no 
natural  boundaries,  and  it  is  cheaper  to  conquer  border 
savage  tribes  than  to  make  regular  boundaries  to  keep 
them  out.  This  is  really  the  secret  of  Russia's  great  exten- 
sions and  of  England's  annexations.  I  see  in  the  future 
that  England  must  fight  every  few  years  till  she  gets  to  the 
great  Lake  regions  of  Victoria  Nyanza ;  and  it  is  possible 
that  we  may  meet  Egypt  stretching  out  her  arms  into  the 
same  region.  Ultimately  we  may  have  to  swallow  Egypt 
also,  and  the  English  future  will  be  to  civilise  Africa  when 
perhaps  we  have  lost  our  hold  on  India.  Of  course  I  shan't 
live  to  see  all  this  accomplished,  but  I  daresay  Edith  will. 
The  Anglo-Saxon  has  certainly  a  future  greater  than  the 
Latin  race,  and  will  some  day  be  dominant  in  three  out  of 
four  quarters  of  the  globe. 

Same  to  the  same.  London,  April  6th,  1879. 

My  dear  Russell, — I  have  not  written  to  you  for  a 
long  time,  but  by  the  time  my  business  letters  are  ended  I 
get  such  a  dislike  to  writing  more  that  I  easily  reconcile  to 
my  conscience  to  postpone  private  correspondence.  .  .  . 
The  Government  are  having  a  bad  time  of  it  with  their 
little  wars — Afghan,  Zululand,  and  Burmah  in  prospect. 
And  yet  the  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  does  not  add 
one  penny  to  the  taxes.  He  takes  the  easy  way  of  saying, 
"  If  we  have  a  surplus  in  the  three  following  years  we  can 
pay  our  debts  out  of  that."  So  his  Budget  will  be  popular, 
for  people  do  not  like  to  pay  increased  taxation,  and 
postponing  one's  creditors  is  an  easy,  if  not  honest,  policy. 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  319 

Windsor  Hotel,  New  York, 
Play  fair  to  Miss  Alice  Russell.  November  8th,  1879. 

I  fancy  that  I  must  be  a  simpleton  in  my  looks,  for  twice 
have  I  been  beset  by  "  confidence "  men  since  I  started. 
Once  was  in  the  cars,  where  a  Western,  in  a  huge,  broad- 
brimmed  hat,  tried  to  get  me  to  take  some  shares  in  a  gold 
mine  ;  and  to-day  an  innocent  youth  spent  five  cents  to 
get  into  an  omnibus  to  find  out  whether  I  was  the  Rev. 
Mr  Dodds  of  San  Francisco.  The  same  innocent,  with  a 
much  sharper-looking  companion,  dogged  me  down  Broad- 
way and  the  Fifth  Avenue,  and  tried  to  entice  me  into 
conversation.  A  policeman  appeared,  and  I  suggested  that 
it  would  be  interesting  to  me  to  find  out  whether  there  was 
any  law  in  New  York  to  protect  strangers  from  impertinent 
intrusion  ;  and  they  vanished  like  greased  lightning. 

Play/air  to  S.  H.  Russell,  Esq.  January  15th,  1881. 

Politically  we  are  in  a  sad  state.  We  see  no  end  to  the 
obstruction  of  the  Irish  members.  They  have  already  had 
nine  days'  talk  on  the  Queen's  Speech,  and  all  next  week 
we  expect  a  flow  of  Irish  garrulity  before  the  measures  of 
coercion  are  even  introduced.  '  Punch's '  cartoon  this 
week  well  illustrates  the  situation.  Gladstone  as  Don 
Quixote  on  a  charger  is  charging  through  a  fog  with  huge 
rocks  of  obstruction  in  the  foreground.  Yet  what  can  we 
do  ?  If  we  introduce  new  rules  on  debate  they  must  be 
passed,  and  it  would  probably  take  ten  days,  sitting  night 
and  day,  to  put  them  through  the  House.  Nothing  will 
do  but  cloture,  that  is,  the  House  having  power  to  stop 
debate  when  it  has  exceeded  fair  proportions.  But  neither 
side  of  the  House  likes  the  idea.  It  is  foolish  not  to  pass 
it,  for  a  majority  responsible  to  the  public  will  never  so 
abuse  rules  as  an  irresponsible  minority  do  against  a  majority. 
In  France  Guizot  says  that  since  an  experience  of  cloture 
began  in  18 14,  there  has  never  been  an  instance  when  free 
and  ample  discussion  has  been  prevented  by  it.  The  state 
of  Ireland  is  indeed  desperate.  The  Queen's  Courts  are 
powerless  to  administer  justice,  for  no  witnesses  can  be  got 


320  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

to  testify  to  crime,  and  no  juries  can  be  got  to  convict. 
But  the  Land  League  Courts  flourish  when  the  Queen's 
Courts  are  in  contempt,  and  these  self-constituted  courts 
are  merciless.  Take  an  instance  :  A  priest  spoke  against 
the  prevailing  lawlessness.  An  edict  went  out  from  the 
Land  League  Court  that  no  dues  were  to  be  paid  him  at 
Christmas  beyond  one  shilling.  A  well-to-do  farmer  sent 
him  as  usual  20/-.  That  same  night  all  the  farmer's  ricks 
were  burned  to  the  ground.  Within  the  last  few  weeks  the 
outrages  have  diminished,  but  that  is  because  the  system  of 
terrorism  is  so  complete.  For  the  decrees  of  these  self- 
constituted  courts  are  no  longer  disobeyed. 

Already  Fenian  movements  are  springing  up  in  England. 
Yesterday  an  attempt  was  made  to  blow  up  barracks  at 
Salford,  though  luckily  only  two  people  perished.  The 
anger  of  the  English  and  Scotch  is  rising  so  much  that  I 
fear  the  Government  may  be  forced  into  imprudent  action. 
I  have  difficulty  in  explaining  to  others  the  American 
action.  Most  of  the  funds  for  this  agitation  come  from  the 
United  States  :  when,  coupled  with  this,  an  insolent  and 
defiant  motion  is  made  in  Congress  with  a  prospect  of  being 
carried,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  English  do  not  know 
how  to  separate  the  Americans  from  the  Irish  and  the 
Democratic  Congress.  Our  statesmen,  like  Gladstone, 
Granville  and  Forster,  know  that  there  is  no  real  American 
sympathy  with  the  Irish  agitators.  But  the  general 
public  see  in  the  Davitts,  Devoys  and  others  sent  over  by 
'  The  Irish  World '  newspaper  from  New  York,  agents  of 
American  agitation.  If  we  get  the  Habeas  Corpus  Act 
suspended,  short  work  will  be  made  of  them,  but  this  may 
produce  complications  with  your  Government  until  your 
new  Republican  Congress  comes  into  operation.  As  yet  I 
have  not  had  much  to  do,  but  I  should  not  be  surprised  if 
after  next  week  we  may  sit  night  and  day,  in  which  case 
the  Speaker  and  Deputy-Speaker  will  have  to  sit  alternately. 
Luckily  my  Private  Bill  legislation  will  not  occupy  me 
much  till  the  middle  of  February,  so  I  hope  to  get  through 
work  without  too  great  a  strain  upon  me.  We  all  look 
with  so  much  interest  to  letters  from  Boston,  as  they  keep 
us  well  up  with  our  dear  American  home. 


CHAIRMAN   AND    DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  321 


Same  to  the  same.  February  28th,  1882. 

Sometimes  I  feel  inclined  to  rebel  at  my  ungrateful  work, 
and  feel  disposed  to  throw  it  up,  and  wait  for  something 
more  congenial  to  my  taste  and  head.  For  my  work  is 
really  no  better  than  that  of  a  master  in  a  badly-behaved 
school.  Our  political  condition  is  not  encouraging.  Troubles 
in  Colonies,  troubles  in  Ireland,  and  general  dissatisfaction 
with  our  Parliamentary  paralysis,  have  given  the  Govern- 
ment a  bad  time,  and  have  not  increased  its  support  in  the 
country.  Your  "  Skirmishing  Fund  "  in  America  keeps  us 
in  constant  watchfulness.  One  day  Windsor  Castle  is 
threatened ;  another  day  the  Docks  ;  a  third  day  West- 
minster Abbey  is  supposed  to  be  the  subject  of  dynamite 
and  petroleum.  We  outsiders  laugh,  but  the  Govern- 
ment do  not,  and  constantly  surround  the  places  threatened 
with  detectives  and  police.  Even  the  Volunteers  cannot 
have  the  use  of  their  arms  lest  they  should  be  seized  by 
the  Fenians.  Yet  the  "Skirmishing  Fund"  collected  in 
America  does  not  appear  to  be  more  than  §100,000. 
Certainly  it  seems  to  be  enough  to  send  over  lots  of  very 
suspicious  passengers  by  the  steamers.  Last  week  double 
the  number  of  suspicious  characters  arrived  in  London  that 
have  come  in  any  week  since  our  troubles  began.  Sir 
Edward  Thornton  is  well-informed,  and  keeps  the  Foreign 
Office  fully  advised,  and  singular  precautions  appear  to  be 
taken  at  the  houses  of  our  public  men.  Notwithstanding 
my  unpleasant  fights  with  Irish  members,  I  have  not  even 
had  a  threatening  letter,  and  feel  in  perfect  security,  what- 
ever others  may  do.  I  was  once  threatened  on  leaving 
the  House  by  a  huge,  half-drunken  fellow,  who  wished  to 
punch  my  head  in  the  snow  ;  but  he  thought  that  I  was  an 
Irish  obstructive,  and  wished  to  teach  me  what  English- 
men thought  of  obstruction.  Our  suspension  of  the  Habeas 
Corpus  Act  is  now  nearly  passed,  and  the  steamers  to 
America  are  being  filled  with  ruffians,  so  we  may  soon 
hope  to  escape  these  periodical  scares. 


322  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Play  fair  to  Mrs  Russell.  Bath,  December  nth,  1882. 

This  will  probably  reach  you  at  Christmas  time,  and  I 
wish  you  all  happy  returns  of  the  season.  We  are  likely 
to  spend  it  in  a  more  lonely  though  not  less  happy  way 
than  you,  for  Edith  and  I  are  perfectly  alone  together, 
not  knowing  one  human  being  in  this  town.  But  we  are 
quite  happy  and  contented.  Edith  has  been  a  capital 
nurse  during  my  illness.  The  coming  year  will,  I  hope, 
restore  more  of  family  life  to  me.  I  have  no  intention  of 
being  so  much  of  a  Parliamentary  man  next  Session, 
whatever  happens.  I  may,  or  what  is  more  probable,  may 
not  have  other  official  work  to  do ;  but  in  any  case  I  do 
not  intend  to  spend  fourteen  or  fifteen  hours  daily  away 
from  home,  as  formerly. 

The  history  of  the  House  of  Commons  between  1883, 
when  Playfair  quitted  office,  and  1885,  when  the  dissolution 
took  place,  was  a  troubled  one.  Cross  currents — to  use  a 
phrase  which  has  since  attained  notoriety — were  the  order 
of  the  day.  The  Liberal  party  was  struggling  with  two 
great  questions — those  of  Ireland  and  of  Egypt— and  was 
witnessing  the  gradual  spread  of  those  rifts  within  its  own 
borders  which  by-and-by  were  to  reduce  it  to  something 
like  impotence.  No  one  in  those  years  clearly  foresaw 
the  future ;  few  dreamed  of  the  course  which  the  Home 
Rule  question  was  about  to  take.  Fewer  still  realised  the 
fact  that  this  Parliament  of  1880,  which  had  been  elected 
on  the  crest  of  a  great  wave  of  enthusiasm,  was  to  be  the 
last  Parliament  in  which  the  historic  Liberal  party  would 
act  unitedly  and  serve  under  a  common  leader.  Pla37fair, 
by  his  retirement  from  the  post  of  Chairman  of  Com- 
mittees, had  secured  a  position  of  personal  independence  in 
the  House.  He  found  himself  one  of  a  small  company  of 
distinguished  men  who,  like  himself,  had  been  relieved 
through  their  own  action  from  the  fetters  of  office.  Mr 
Bright,  Mr  Forster,  and  Mr  Goschen  were  of  their  number. 
It  was  natural  that  when  men  of  so  much  weight  in  Parlia- 


CHAIRMAN  AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  323 

ment,  belonging  to  the  party  then  in  office,  had  taken  up 
an  independent  position,  the  spirit  of  criticism  should  be 
rife  in  the  House.  Probably  the  acts  of  no  Ministry  were 
ever  more  severely  criticised  from  its  own  side  of  the 
House  than  were  those  of  the  Ministry  of  1880  during  the 
last  two  years  of  its  existence.  It  was  known  that  even  in 
the  Cabinet  divisions  existed.  It  was  believed  that  there 
was  a  party  in  the  Government,  strong  in  its  influence  if 
not  in  its  numbers,  which  wished  to  come  to  terms  with 
Mr  Parnell  and  the  Home  Rulers  of  Ireland.  Events  in 
Egypt  had  done  much  to  discredit  Ministers  in  the  eyes  ot 
their  fellow-countrymen  ;  and  there  was  no  question  upon 
which  they  were  more  unpopular  than  upon  those  asso- 
ciated with  the  names  of  Khartoum  and  General  Gordon. 
If  Playfair  had  been  a  man  in  whose  soul  any  rancour  was 
harboured,  if  he  had  been  one  to  whom  personal  advance- 
ment was  everything,  it  can  hardly  be  doubted  that  he 
would  have  found,  during  1883  and  the  two  following  years, 
an  ample  opportunity  of  distinguishing  himself  in  the 
House  by  his  hostile  criticisms  of  the  proceedings  of  the 
Ministry.  But  he  was  the  last  man  in  the  world  to  seek 
shelter  in  any  Cave  of  Adullam.  That  sweetness  of  temper 
which  characterised  him  in  private  life  was  not  less  con- 
spicuous in  his  public  career.  The  political  principles  he 
professed  were  dear  to  him  as  sacred  things.  He  had  left 
office  ;  he  was  independent ;  he  saw  Ministers  floundering 
deeper  and  deeper  in  the  quagmire  in  which  they  had 
become  involved ;  he  knew  that  he  could  secure  the 
enthusiastic  support  of  the  majority  of  his  own  con- 
stituents if  he  turned  upon  the  falling  Government  and 
enrolled  himself  among  the  band  of  relentless  critics  who 
hung  upon  its  flank.  But  he  absolutely  refused  to  take 
this  course,  and  when  the  great  moment  came  for  arriving 
at  a  decision  upon  the  gravest  political  question  that  had 
been  submitted  to  Parliament  and  to  the  country  during 


324  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

his  lifetime,  he  unhesitatingly  took  the  unpopular  side  upon 
the  question  of  Home  Rule,  and  by  doing  so  cut  himself 
adrift  from  the  majority  of  his  old  personal  friends  and 
political  associates. 

These  facts  must  be  borne  in  mind  by  those  who  wish  to 
estimate  Playfair's  character  aright.  It  would  have  been 
so  easy  and,  in  a  certain  measure,  so  natural  for  him  to 
have  joined  the  band  of  malcontents  after  his  retirement 
from  office,  that  only  an  unflinching  loyalty  to  principle, 
and  to  what  he  regarded  as  the  truth,  allied  with  a 
temper  of  more  than  common  equanimity,  could  have 
enabled  him  to  resist  the  temptation.  During  these 
years  of  the  1880  Parliament,  he  worked  with  as  much 
industry  and  enthusiasm  in  the  House  as  though  he  were 
still  in  office.  He  maintained  his  independence  as  he 
had  done  throughout  his  Parliamentary  career,  but  it  was 
an  independence  which  displayed  itself  in  his  devotion  to 
causes  which,  though  important  in  themselves,  could  not 
command  the  support  of  recognised  political  parties.  He 
stood  during  these  years,  as  he  had  stood  so  long,  as  the 
spokesman  and  representative  of  interests  great  in  them- 
selves but  devoid  of  that  Parliamentary  influence  which 
goes  for  so  much  in  the  eyes  of  politicians.  He  never 
stopped  to  weigh  the  popularity  or  unpopularity  of  the 
cause  he  espoused,  but  flung  himself  fearlessly  into  the 
breach  when  battle  had  to  be  waged  on  behalf  of  scientific 
truth  or  the  moral  and  material  welfare  of  the  people. 
He  has  told  us  something  of  what  he  did  on  the  subject  of 
vaccination.  More  than  any  other  man  in  Parliament  he 
was  responsible  for  the  defeat  of  the  movement  against  the 
Vaccination  Laws,  and  to  the  end  of  his  days  he  was  justly 
proud  of  that  achievement. 

Another  cause  in  which  he  had  to  face  a  still  stronger 
current  of  unpopularity  was  that  in  which  is  involved 
the    right   of   men   to   perform   experiments   upon   living 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  325 

animals  in  the  interests  of  scientific  truth.  Playfair,  as 
all  who  were  acquainted  with  him  knew,  had  a  heart 
that  was  always  open  to  the  appeal  of  suffering,  and 
a  mind  that  was  singularly  sensitive  upon  questions  of 
moral  responsibility.  But  his  humanitarianism  led  him 
to  believe  that,  after  all,  the  greatest  good  of  the  greatest 
number  was  the  object  to  be  pursued  in  public  life,  and 
he  did  not  hesitate  to  stand  forth  boldly  in  defence  of 
those  who  claimed  the  right  to  further  the  interests  of 
humanity,  and  to  widen  the  bounds  of  medical  knowledge 
by  means  of  experiments  on  living  animals.  He  became, 
as  was  but  natural,  an  object  of  intense  dislike  to  the 
opponents  of  vivisection.  There  is  no  need  to  argue  the 
question  of  vivisection  in  these  pages— it  is  not  even 
necessary  to  touch  upon  the  notorious  exaggerations  which 
are  used  for  the  purpose  of  prejudicing  an  ignorant  public 
against  those  who  dare  to  run  counter  to  the  views  of  the 
Anti-Vivisection  Society.  Playfair's  opinions  on  this 
question  must  be  left  where  he  himself  would  have  had 
them  left — to  the  judgment  of  the  men  who  know  :  his 
fellow  men  of  science  and  the  medical  profession.  But 
his  biographer  must  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  in  the 
House  of  Commons  he  was  in  these  years  of  unfettered 
independence  what  he  had  been  during  his  whole  Parlia- 
mentary career — a  courageous  advocate  of  causes  which  he 
believed  to  be  true,  and  from  the  defence  of  which  no 
amount  of  unpopularity  could  drive  him. 

Nor  was  it  only  in  the  advocacy  of  unpopular  causes  of 
supreme  interest  to  the  health  of  the  community  that  Play- 
fair  showed  his  stern  loyalty  and  courage  at  this  period  of 
his  career.  He  was  just  as  little  afraid  to  espouse  the  cause 
of  an  unpopular  man  as  that  of  an  unpopular  truth.  He 
himself  has  noted  the  fact  that  at  the  very  time  when  he 
was  compelled  by  his  official  position  to  wage  war  against 
the  Irish  members,  he  enjoyed  amongst  these  gentlemen  a 


$26  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

remarkable  degree  of  personal  popularity.  Whilst  they  did 
everything  in  their  power  to  obstruct  him  and  embarrass 
him  in  his  Chairmanship,  they  took  all  possible  means  of 
showing  that  personally  they  regarded  him  with  sympathy 
rather  than  with  antipathy,  and  he  himself,  far  from  being 
soured  by  his  conflicts  with  the  Irish  party  in  the  House  of 
Commons,  was  large  enough  and  magnanimous  enough  to 
regard  their  action  from  a  purely  impersonal  point  of  view. 
It  was  in  1885  that  he  took  a  step  which,  whilst  it  caused 
some  surprise  to  his  ordinary  political  associates,  endeared 
him  to  the  great  body  of  the  Irish  members.  During  one 
of  his  visits  to  the  United  States  he  had  met  Mr  John 
Boyle  O'Reilly  at  Boston.  Mr  Boyle  O'Reilly  was  an 
Irish  rebel  who  had  once  served  in  the  English  army.  He 
was  proscribed  by  the  British  Government,  and  forbidden 
leave  to  return  to  his  native  country.  Playfair  met  him  in 
mixed  company  in  Boston,  and  found  him  to  be  a  man  of 
culture,  refinement,  wide  knowledge  and  gentle  disposition. 
Whatever  might  be  his  position  in  Irish  politics,  Playfair 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  he  was  an  honest  and  honour- 
able man  ;  and  when,  in  the  heat  of  the  struggle  over  the 
Irish  question,  his  name  was  mentioned  in  debate  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  Playfair  at  once  rose,  and  facing  a 
hostile  audience  of  Englishmen  and  Scotchmen,  bore  his 
testimony  to  Mr  O'Reilly's  character,  and  urged  that  the 
Government  should  withdraw  its  refusal  to  allow  him  to 
return  to  his  native  country.  It  was  a  characteristic  act, 
the  courage  and  magnanimity  of  which  can  only  be  fully 
recognised  by  those  who  remember  the  height  which 
national  passions  and  animosities  attained  in  that  bitter 
period  of  political  warfare  in  the  United  Kingdom. 

Mr  Boyle  O'Reilly  to  Play/air.        Boston,  February  iSth,  1885. 

Dear  Mr  Playfair, — Allow  me,  though  still   under 
ban,  to  send  you  my  most  sincere  thanks  for  your  kindly 


CHAIRMAN   AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  327 

interest  in  my  request  to  your  Government  to  be  allowed 
to  visit  Canada  and  Great  Britain.  The  Home  Secretary, 
as  you  probably  are  aware,  has  refused  the  request.  Mr 
Bagenal  sent  to  me  your  letter  (copy)  to  the  Irish  Secretary. 
I  shall  always  remember  it  with  pleasure  and  gratitude. 
I  had  no  intention  of  meddling  with  politics  in  any  way 
had  I  gone  to  either  country,  so  that  your  word  would 
have  been  quite  safe  on  my  account.  I  trust  that  when 
you  visit  America  again  I  may  have  the  great  pleasure  of 
thanking  you  in  person. 

I  am,  dear  Sir, 

Very  truly  yours, 

John  Boyle  O'Reilly. 

As  one  of  the  few  men  of  science  in  the  House  of 
Commons,  Playfair  found  constant  opportunities  of  ad- 
vancing the  interests  of  science  in  that  assembly.  Nor 
was  science  in  the  abstract  the  only  matter  for  which  he 
cared.  He  was  for  years  the  recognised  guardian  of  the 
interests  of  scientific  men  in  their  dealings  with  the  Govern- 
ment, which  has  not  even  yet  fully  recognised  their  claims 
to  public  support  and  approval.  It  is  strange  to  think  that 
in  the  year  1883  there  should  have  been  any  hesitation  on 
the  part  of  a  Prime  Minister,  and  especially  of  one  so 
enlightened  as  Mr  Gladstone,  as  to  the  desirableness  of 
conferring  a  mark  of  honour  upon  so  eminent  a  man  of 
science  as  Professor  Richard  Owen.  Yet  the  following 
correspondence  appears  to  establish  this  fact : — 

British  Museum,  Cromwell  Road, 

South  Kensington, 
Professor  Owen  to  Playfair.  Ju>ie  28th<  l883- 

Dear  Lyon  Playfair, — I  have  received  a  private 
letter  from  an  official  friend,  informing  me  that  "  the 
K.C.B.,  vacant  by  the  demise  of  Sir  Edward  Sabine, 
which  was  given  for  scientific  services,  ought  to  fall  to 
your  share."     It  would  not  have  occurred  to  me,  nor  was 


328  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

I  aware  of  the  alleged  relation.  I  have  never  entertained 
any  personal  wish  on  the  subject,  and  on  the  verge  of 
entering  upon  my  eightieth  year,  such  indifference  may  be 
condoned.  The  chief  satisfaction  I  should  feel  by  such  an 
instance  of  Her  Majesty's  gracious  recognition  would  be  in 
regard  to  the  relation  of  my  own  to  that  of  other  countries 
in  the  estimate  which  has  been  allotted  to  me.  This  con- 
sideration has  led  to  the  enclosed  memorandum,  which  it 
might  be  proper  to  submit  to  the  Prime  Minister,  and  there 
is  no  friend  to  whom  I  could  have  confided  it  for  that 
purpose  except  one  with  whom  of  old  I  had  the  pleasure  to 
be  associated  in  the  application  of  science  to  the  public  good. 

Believe  me,  dear  Playfair, 

Most  truly  yours, 

Richard  Owen. 

The  memorandum  which  accompanied  the  above  letter, 
and  which  Playfair  lost  no  time  in  placing  in  the  hands  of 
Mr  Gladstone,  is  a  document  of  so  remarkable  a  character 
that  it  may  well  find  a  place  in  these  pages.  For  the  fact 
that  men  of  science  no  longer  have  to  suffer  the  neglect 
which  was  so  long  their  lot  at  the  hands  of  those  with 
whom  rests  the  recommendation  of  suitable  recipients  of 
the  Royal  favour,  the  country  is  indebted  more  largely  to 
Lyon  Playfair  than  to  any  other  man. 

MEMORANDUM. 

At  the  period  when  Sir  Edward  Sabine  was  elected  correspondent 
of  the  Academic  des  Sciences,  Paris,  I  was  chosen  one  of  the  eight 
foreign  members  of  the  Institute  (on  the  death  of  Robert  Brown, 
justly  esteemed  the  greatest  botanist  after  Linnaeus). 

About  the  same  period,  the  King  of  Prussia  decreed  that  a  certain 
very  limited  number  of  the  Cross  of  the  Order  for  Merit  should  be 
conferred  on  discoverers  in  science,  and  confided  this  application  of 
the  Order  to  Humboldt.  I  was  early  honoured  by  being  selected  for 
its  reception. 

Of  every  Academy  of  Science  of  Europe  and  America  I  have  been 
elected  member. 

These  may  be  the  best  testimonies  to  a  status  in  science  of  a 
contemporary  and  countryman  that  Ja  Minister  may  deem  worthy  of 


CHAIRMAN  AND   DEPUTY-SPEAKER.  329 

consideration ;  but  a  large  proportion  of  my  working  time  has  been 
devoted  to  improved  and  extended  applications  of  national  institu- 
tions for  scientific  progress.  The  Hunterian  Museum  of  Physiology, 
purchased  by  Government  in  1789,  remained  until  1830  uncatalogued 
— i.e.  devoid  of  any  adequate  manuscript  or  printed  description  of 
its  contents  and  aims.  In  1826  I  was  chosen  by  the  Council  of  the 
Royal  College  of  Surgeons,  to  whom  in  1800  the  Hunterian  Museum 
had  been  confided,  to  assist  in  the  formation  of  the  catalogues  which 
Hunter's  executor,  Sir  Everard  Home,  had  promised  to  prepare,  but 
did  not.  My  first  catalogue  in  quarto  appeared  in  1830,  and  was 
followed  by  successive  volumes,  which  in  1855  supplied  the  long- 
felt  need. 

In  1856  I  was  honoured  with  my  present  appointment  in  the 
British  Museum.  The  state  in  which  I  found  the  collections  of 
natural  history  led  to  the  Report  ordered  by  the  House  of  Commons 
to  be  printed  in  1859.  The  main  requisites  therein  defined  have 
been  attained  for  the  benefit  of  both  the  scientific  and  general  public 
in  the  British  Museum  of  Natural  History,  Cromwell  Road. 

These  public  duties  have  precluded  my  acceptance  of  any  re- 
munerative scientific  office  elsewhere,  such  as  the  Secretaryship  of 
the  Royal  Society,  etc.  I  have  not,  however,  deemed  it  proper  to 
refuse  such  services  as  might  be  required  by  Government  in  re- 
lation to  commissions  or  inquiries  needing  scientific  knowledge. 
The  Commission  on  the  health  of  towns  was  followed  by  that  on  the 
health  of  the  Metropolis,  which  led  to  a  third  on  Smithfield  Market 
and  the  meat  supply  of  London.  The  only  name  which  would  be 
found  on  these  three  Commissions  is  that  of  the  present  writer, 

Richard  Owen. 

No  one  will  question  either  the  sufficiency  of  the 
claims  set  forth  by  Professor  Owen  or  the  modesty  of  the 
statement  in  which  they  are  named. 

10,  Downing  Street,  Whitehall, 
Mr  Gladstone  to  Play  fair.  June  29th,  1883. 

Dear  Mr  Playfair, — Though  I  cannot  make  a 
promise  about  Professor  Owen,  I  will  consider  your  sug- 
gestion very  carefully,  and  it  will  give  me  much  pleasure  if 
I  find  I  can  comply.  Most  faithfully  yours, 

W.  E.  Gladstone. 

Playfair' s  application  to  Mr  Gladstone  was  not  un- 
successful, and  Owen  received  the  Knight  Commandership 
of  the  Bath  which  he  so  richly  merited  in  January,  18S4. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

VICE-PRESIDENT   OF   THE    COUNCIL. 

Play  fair's  Ties  with  America — Why  he  never  became  a  Cabinet  Minister 
— His  Acceptance  of  Home  Rule — Appointed  Honorary  Secretary  of 
the  Commission  for  the  1851  Exhibition — His  Views  on  the  Functions 
of  a  Minister  for  Scotland — Decides  to  retire  from  the  Representation 
of  Edinburgh  University — His  Candidature  for  South  Leeds — The 
Constituency  described — His  Brilliant  Victory — His  Connection  with 
the  "  Hawarden  Kite" — Appointed  Vice-President  of  the  Council. 
Autobiography  :  Celebration  of  the  Tercentenary  of  Edinburgh 
University  :  With  the  British  Association  at  Montreal  and  at 
Aberdeen  :  At  Glamis  Castle  again  :  Reform  of  the  Medical 
Profession  :     Re-election  for  South  Leeds. 

The  chapters  of  Play  fair's  Autobiography  which  follow 
that  which  I  have  last  quoted  are  brief  and  fragmentary. 
As  I  explained  in  the  opening  chapter  of  this  work,  the 
Autobiography,  which  was  commenced  in  1882  and  chiefly 
written  during  his  visits  to  America,  was  never  revised,  and  a 
great  part  of  it  was  written  somewhat  hurriedly,  the  writer's 
intention  having  been  to  produce  something  more  detailed 
and  satisfactory  if  time  and  his  strength  permitted.  This  pur- 
pose he  never  accomplished,  and  we  are  consequently  without 
that  connected  story  of  Playfair's  life  after  1880  which  he 
gave  us  prior  to  that  date.  This  fact  is  the  more  to  be 
regretted,  because  the  closing  years  of  his  public  career 
form,  in  many  respects,  the  most  interesting  and  important 
period  of  his  life.  Happily,  he  has  left  behind  the  means 
of  forming  a  correct  judgment  upon  his  character  and 
action  during  these  years.  His  marriage  to  Miss  Russell 
had  led  to  what  he  playfully  described  as  his  adoption  of 
a  second  country.  Those  annual  visits  to  Boston  and 
Nahant,  of  which  the  reader  has  already  learnt  something, 


VICE-PRESIDENT   OF  THE   COUNCIL.  33 1 

were  not  only  a  bright  feature  of  Playfair's  life  as  it  drew 
towards  a  close,  but  the  means  of  establishing  a  bond  of 
affection  between  himself  and  his  wife's  family  in  America, 
which  led  to  the  interchange  of  a  correspondence  from 
which  may  be  gathered  those  details  of  his  life  that  are  no 
longer  recorded  in  his  Autobiography.  His  letters  to  his 
wife's  father,  Mr  Russell,  have  a  special  interest,  because 
of  the  light  that  they  throw  upon  a  side  of  Playfair's 
character  that  does  not  appear  either  in  his  Autobiography 
or  in  his  official  correspondence.  They  are  full  of  revela- 
tions, slight  in  themselves,  but  nevertheless  convincing,  of 
the  warmth  of  his  affections,  the  gaiety  of  his  temper,  and 
the  sweetness  of  his  disposition.  His  relations  with  his 
wife's  family,  from  the  time  of  his  marriage  down  to  the 
day  of  his  death,  were  indeed  of  a  peculiarly  intimate  and 
affectionate  kind.  He  entered  into  the  life  of  the  house- 
hold at  Nahant  with  the  ardent  interest  of  a  boy.  He 
became  a  real  member  of  the  American  family  into  which 
he  had  been  admitted  by  marriage,  and  he  was  never  so 
happy  as  when,  turning  aside  from  the  engrossing  cares  of 
public  life  in  London,  he  sat  down  to  chat  on  paper  with 
those  relatives  in  the  United  States  to  whom  the  English 
official  world  was  a  closed  book.  For  their  sake  he  ex- 
plained many  things  which  Englishmen  are  supposed 
instinctively  to  understand.  The  fashions  and  customs  of 
our  political  world  ;  the  ceremonial  of  great  functions  ;  the 
little  personal  touches  which  enable  one  at  a  distance  to 
understand  the  character  of  a  public  man,  were  matters 
upon  which  he  loved  to  dwell,  in  order  that  he  might  give 
pleasure  to  friends  to  whom  he  was  devoted  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Atlantic. 

I  propose  to  bring  together  a  number  of  Playfair's  letters 
to  the  members  of  the  Russell  household,  not  merely 
because  of  their  intrinsic  interest,  but  because  of  the  light 
which  they  throw  upon  a  side  of  his  character  that  was 


332  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

hidden  from  the  outer  world.  For  the  present,  however,  1 
recur  to  his  life  during  the  later  years  of  the  1880  Parlia- 
ment. It  was,  as  the  reader  has  seen  in  the  last  chapter,  a 
very  busy  life,  though  the  cares  of  office  did  not  enter  into 
it.  Recognising  the  fact  that  his  tenure  of  his  seat  at 
Edinburgh  was  coming  to  an  end,  Playfair  felt  free  to 
throw  himself  more  unreservedly  than  he  had  hitherto 
done  into  the  battle  of  politics.  It  had  been  his  personal 
misfortune  to  become  known  in  the  House  of  Commons  as 
a  member  for  a  University.  In  that  capacity  he  had 
served  his  country  well  in  connection  with  the  advance- 
ment of  science  and  of  education.  He  had  spoken,  as 
upon  the  questions  of  vaccination  and  vivisection,  for  the 
cultured  classes.  He  had  been  one  of  the  most  powerful 
agents  in  promoting  the  growth  of  technical  instruction. 
He  had  been  an  arbitrator  to  whose  judgment  many  grave 
questions  affecting  the  welfare  of  the  community  had  been 
unhesitatingly  submitted  by  successive  Governments.  But 
through  it  all  he  had  been  compelled  to  feel  that  he  was 
in  a  certain  sense  an  outsider  in  the  political  arena.  He 
had  distinguished  himself  so  greatly  on  the  non-contentious 
side  of  politics  that  the  statesmen  of  his  own  party  seemed 
to  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  he  was  in  no  sense  a 
party  man.  But  for  this  fact  it  is  probable  that  Playfair 
would  have  taken  a  very  different  position  in  the  political 
world  from  that  which  he  secured — honourable  and  dis- 
tinguished as  that  position  was.  But  the  political  leaders 
on  both  sides  seemed  to  regard  him  as  a  man  whose 
enormous  power  of  work,  whose  learning,  and  whose 
intelligence  were  to  be  devoted  solely  to  the  service 
of  the  public  in  those  fields  which  offer  little  scope  for  the 
gratification  of  political  ambition. 

This  is  not  the  place  in  which  to  enter  upon  a  disquisi- 
tion as  to  the  comparative  value  of  public  work  of  a  non- 
partisan character,  and  of  that  which  is  done  within  strict 


VICE-PRESIDENT   OF  THE   COUNCIL.  333 

party  limits.  Playfair's  life  is  itself  a  sufficient  vindication 
of  the  importance  and  value  of  the  services  which  can  be 
rendered  to  the  community  and  to  the  world  by  a  public 
man  who  stands  outside  the  narrow  limits  of  mere  par- 
tisanship ;  but  it  is  not  to  be  denied  that  a  man  who, 
conscious  of  his  own  ability,  seeks  to  become  a  distinct 
power  in  the  Senate,  is  more  likely  to  attain  his  object  by 
throwing  himself  unreservedly  into  the  arms  of  a  party, 
than  by  confining  himself  to  that  class  of  work  which  lies 
outside  the  region  of  party  conflicts. 

Playfair  would  unquestionably  have  received  a  Cabinet 
appointment  but  for  the  disadvantage  under  which  he 
laboured  as  member  for  a  University  in  which  a 
majority  of  the  voters  were  Tories.  As  the  Parliament 
of  1880  drew  to  a  close,  he  found  himself  being  gradually 
emancipated  from  the  bonds  that  had  hitherto  fettered 
him ;  and  whilst  he  continued  to  take  a  special  interest  in 
those  questions  of  education  and  of  scientific  inquiry  which 
had  always  absorbed  so  large  an  amount  of  his  time  and 
thought,  he  did  not  neglect  those  purely  political  topics 
which  were  the  subject  of  party  controversies.  A  great 
convulsion,  which  was  destined  to  bring  about  something 
like  a  revolution  in  the  condition  of  parties  in  the  House  of 
Commons,  was  approaching,  whilst  Mr  Gladstone's  Ministry 
of  1880  was  slowly  drawing  near  to  its  appointed  end. 
This  is  not  the  place  in  which  to  tell  the  history  of  the 
Home  Rule  movement,  nor  indeed  can  that  history  as  yet 
be  told  to  its  end.  When  Mr  Gladstone,  breaking  away 
from  the  policy  of  a  lifetime,  boldly  resolved  to  attempt  to 
settle  the  great  question  of  Ireland  in  the  interests  of  the 
United  Kingdom  as  a  whole,  he  drew  with  him  on  his 
perilous  and  difficult  path  many  men  of  eminence  and  high 
principle,  though  he  had  to  part  from  some  of  those  who 
had  been  his  most  faithful  colleagues  and  followers  in  his 
previous  career.     Playfair  was  one  Of  the  men  who,  in  that 


334  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

great  crisis,  stood  by  Mr  Gladstone.  The  very  fact 
that  he  had  occupied  a  position  of  quasi-indeipen&ence 
strengthened  the  importance  of  his  adhesion  to  the  Glad- 
stonian  policy  at  a  time  when  so  many  of  the  Liberal 
leader's  devoted  personal  adherents  were  falling  from  him. 
The  letters  I  shall  presently  quote  will  throw  some  light 
upon  this  step  on  Playfair's  part.  But  all  who  knew  him 
will  need  no  evidence  to  convince  them  that  it  was  a  step 
taken  under  the  pressure  of  strong  conviction,  and  from 
the  highest  of  personal  motives. 

Many  public  duties  occupied  Playfair  after  his  resignation 
of  the  Chairmanship  of  Committees,  but  none  was  more 
important  than  that  which  devolved  upon  him  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Commission  for  the  Exhibition  of  1851.  He 
had  come  back  to  the  body  with  which  he  had  been 
officially  connected  in  his  early  career.  He  came  back  to 
find  that  its  affairs  had  become  involved,  that  its  finances 
were  embarrassed,  and  that  its  prospects  were  gloomy.  He 
set  himself  with  characteristic  resolution  to  the  task  of 
setting  the  house  of  the  Commission  in  order,  and  one  of 
the  first  steps  which  he  took  was  that  of  becoming  hono- 
rary secretary.  It  was  a  post  of  great  labour,  and  of  great 
responsibility,  but  there  was  no  one  better  qualified  for  it 
than  the  man  who,  in  1851,  had  been  one  of  the  ablest 
instruments  of  the  Prince  Consort  in  carrying  out  the 
beneficent  scheme  of  that  year. 

Cumberland  Lodge, 

H.R.H.  Prince  Christian  to  Playfair.  March  26^-  l884- 

Dear  Sir  Lyon  Playfair, — I  have  received  your 
interesting  statement  with  resume  of  the  position  of 
affairs  of  the  Commissioners  of  185 1.  Having  read  that 
statement,  it  seems  to  me  that  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  it  will  be  impossible  for  us  to  secure  the  services  of  a 
paid  secretary.  The  question  remains,  therefore,  whether 
you  will  be  able — if  you  should  be  inclined — to  undertake 


VICE-PRESIDENT   OF   THE    COUNCIL.  335 

for  another  year  the  duties  of  an  honorary  secretary.  I  feel 
that  it  is  hardly  fair  to  ask  you  to  do  so,  or  to  sacrifice  so 
much  of  your  valuable  time  for  the  sake  of  extricating  Her 
Majesty's  Commissioners  out  of  their  difficulties.  At  the 
same  time,  I  venture  to  express  the  hope  that  you  may  be 
able  to  carry  on  the  business  of  an  honorary  secretary  for 
another  year,  as  I  do  not  know  how  we  shall  get  on  in  the 
present  state  of  affairs  without  your  valuable  assistance.  I 
have  sent  your  letter  to  Mr  Knollys,  and  asked  him  to  lay 
it  before  the  Prince  of  Wales  as  soon  as  he  returns. 

Believe  me, 

Yours  sincerely, 

Christian  v.  Holstein. 

The  post  which  Playfair  had  accepted  of  honorary 
secretary  he  retained  for  several  years  afterwards,  and  the 
reader  will  presently  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing  how 
great  was  the  work  which  he  accomplished  in  that 
capacity. 

Among  the  measures  contemplated  by  the  Government 
of  Mr  Gladstone  in  the  Session  of  1885  was  one  for 
creating  a  Minister  for  Scotland.  Playfair  held  strong 
views  as  to  the  duties  which  such  a  Minister  ought  to 
discharge.  He  was  not  personally  favourable  to  the 
creation  of  this  office,  but  he  was  clear  in  his  own  mind 
as  to  the  functions  which  ought  to  be  exercised  by  its 
holder. 

South  Kensington, 
Playfair  to  Mr  Gladstone.  December  8th,  1884. 

Dear  Mr  Gladstone, — I  am  anxious  to  put  before 
you  some  points  regarding  the  Bill  which  will  come  before 
us  next  Session,  creating  a  Minister  for  Scotland. 

(1)  If  a  Scotch  Minister  had  merely  Home  Office  work 
to  perform,  the  natural  thing  would  be  that  the  Lord 
Advocate  should  look  after  his  work  in  the  House  of 
Commons,  and  that  the  Scotch  Minister  should  generally 
be  in  the  House  of  Lords. 


32)6  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

(2)  But  the  Scotch  municipalities  wish  to  re-organise  the 
office,  and  feel  that  the  Minister  would  have  small  func- 
tions as  a  Home  Minister.  They  therefore  desire  to  attach 
Scotch  Education  to  his  office.  No  such  desire  has  been 
shown  by  the  School  Boards.  This  combination  would 
completely  alter  the  nature  of  the  Minister.  He  would 
then  be  chiefly  Scotch  Minister  of  Education  with  Home 
Office  duties  attached. 

(3)  In  this  altered  position  the  Minister  must  not 
generally  be  in  the  House  of  Lords.  You  could  not  put 
the  education  of  the  people  in  charge  of  a  Minister  not  in 
the  House  of  the  people.  The  Lord  Advocate  could  not 
be  his  proper  representative  in  the  lower  House,  for  he 
would  have  the  functions  of  Attorney-General  in  England. 

(4)  Education  in  Scotland  is  the  essential  source  of  pros- 
perity in  a  country  which  has  scarcely  any  natural  sources 
of  wealth.  The  junction,  therefore,  of  education  with 
Home  Office  duties  would  entirely  alter  the  conception  of 
a  new  Scotch  Minister.  The  Prime  Minister,  who  selects 
for  the  office,  would  have  to  bear  in  mind  the  educational 
qualifications  of  his  Minister  as  much  as  if  he  were  appoint- 
ing a  Vice-President  of  the  Council. 

(5)  I  have  never  been  in  favour  of  a  Scotch  Minister, 
but  if  he  is  to  be  appointed,  his  function  should  be  wide 
enough  to  justify  his  appointment,  and  in  this  point  of  view 
there  are  arguments  for  giving  him  the  charge  of  Scotch 
education. 

(6)  But  I  think  this  would  be  a  disastrous  combination 
for  Scotland,  unless  he  were  a  House  of  Commons  Minister, 
able  to  watch  over  the  education  of  the  Scotch  people. 

(7)  This  will  be  all  the  more  necessary,  because  if  you 
sever  English  from  Scotch  education  (a  policy  of  which  I 
entirely  disapprove),  the  differences  between  the  two  will 
raise  many  enemies  in  the  House  to  the  peculiarities  of 
Scotch  education  established  in  relation  to  the  higher  sub- 
jects taught  under  the  elementary  grant.  Unless,  therefore, 
you  have  the  Minister  in  the  House  of  Commons,  Scotch 
education,  instead  of  gaining,  will  be  materially  deteriorated. 
I  wish,  with  these  convictions,  merely  to  point  out  that  the 


VICE-PRESIDENT  OF  THE   COUNCIL.  337 

proposed  ^combination  of  education  with  Home  Office 
duties  in  the  new  Ministry  profoundly  alters  its  original 
conception,  and  must  be  borne  in  mind  in  any  Bill  which 
the  Government  intends  to  bring  forward. 

As  1885  advanced,  it  became  clear  that  the  Ministry  was 
not  likely  to  survive  the  Session,  but  before  the  final  catas- 
trophe which  led  to  Mr  Gladstone's  defeat  and  the 
accession  of  Lord  Salisbury  as  Prime  Minister  took  place, 
Playfair's  views,  set  forth  in  the  foregoing  letter,  upon 
the  appointment  of  a  Minister  for  Scotland  had  led  to  a 
crisis  in  his  own  affairs. 

South  Kensington, 
Play/air  to  S.  H.  Russell,  Esq.  May  20th,  1885. 

I  write  to  tell  you  that  I  have  finally  broken  off  with 
my  constituency  of  the  Universities,  and  have  formally 
announced  that  I  will  not  seek  for  re-election.  My  reason 
for  this  is  that  the  Government  has  introduced  a  Bill  for 
separating  Scotch  and  English  education,  and  putting  the 
former  in  the  hands  of  a  "  Scotch  Secretary  "  about  to  be 
created.  This  I  highly  disapprove,  as  I  think  it  will  be 
ruinous  to  Scotch  education.  But  as  many  of  my  Liberal 
supporters  approve  of  this  step,  it  is  clear  that  I  cannot 
stand  for  a  University  when  the  Liberal  voters  are  not 
united  on  an  educational  question.  No  doubt  I  shall  be 
much  censured  for  this  step,  but  I  do  not  feel  bound  to 
stand  for  a  constituency  that  gives  me  a  contest  every  time 
after  seventeen  years'  service,  when  no  other  Universities 
disturb  their  members  if  the)7  do  their  duty.  I  am  already 
offered  several  seats,  but  I  shall  bide  my  time,  and  only 
take  one  which  will  both  be  safe  and  less  expensive  than 
that  which  forced  a  contest  upon  me  at  each  election. 
Leeds  and  Dundee  both  wish  to  have  me,  and  are  nego- 
tiating with  me.  There  are  plenty  of  towns  looking  for 
candidates,  so  I  do  not  intend  being  hasty,  as  it  would  not 
break  my  heart  if  I  did  not  get  into  Parliament  again ;  but 
this  I  do  not  think  is  likely.     The  old  University  members 

w 


338  MEMOIRS  OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

are  much  distressed,  as  they  think  my  practical  expulsion 
from  my  seat  will  sound  the  knell  for  University  representa- 
tion.    I  hope  it  will  not  have  this  effect. 

No  sooner  did  it  become  known  that  Playfair  had 
finally  resolved  to  retire  from  the  representation  of  Edin- 
burgh, than  he  was  overwhelmed  with  applications  from 
constituencies  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  anxious  to 
secure  him  as  their  representative.  His  choice  for  some 
time,  as  the  foregoing  letter  indicates,  fluctuated  between 
Leeds,  Dundee,  and  Birmingham,  but  eventually  he  decided 
in  favour  of  the  first  place;  and  in  the  autumn  of  1885 
was  formally  accepted  as  the  Liberal  candidate  for  South 
Leeds.  The  constituency  represented  the  most  Radical 
element  of  a  Radical  borough.  South  Leeds  is  inhabited 
almost  entirely  by  working  men,  the  artisans  employed  in 
the  great  engineering  shops,  and  their  foremen  and  over- 
lookers, most  of  whom  have  themselves  risen  from  the 
ranks.  It  would,  in  short,  be  difficult  to  find  anywhere  in 
the  country  a  more  democratic  constituency  than  South 
Leeds.  But  democratic  and  advanced  in  opinion  as  it  is,  it 
represents  the  best  elements  in  the  working  classes.  The 
voters  are  a  hard-headed  and  intelligent  lot,  and  they 
are  capable  of  appreciating  superior  intellectual  qualities 
whenever  and  wherever  they  meet  with  them. 

There  could  hardly  have  been  a  greater  contrast  between 
any  two  constituencies  than  that  which  existed  between 
South  Leeds  and  the  Universities  of  Edinburgh  and  St. 
Andrews.  Many  of  Playfair's  friends  felt  somewhat  dubious 
as  to  the  wisdom  of  the  choice  he  had  made  when  he 
resolved  to  fight  South  Leeds  as  a  Liberal  candidate ;  but 
never  were  doubts  more  brilliantly  dispelled  than  by  the 
result  of  this  experiment.  No  sooner  had  Playfair  appeared 
among  the  electors  of  South  Leeds  than  he  won  from  them 
an  almost  enthusiastic  appreciation,  which  quickly  developed 


VICE-PRESIDENT  OF  THE   COUNCIL.  339 

into  a  feeling  of  warm  confidence  and  affection.  They 
recognised  his  wide  knowledge,  his  experience,  his  great 
capacity  for  work ;  they  rejoiced  in  his  power  of  lucid 
exposition,  in  the  homely  arguments  and  illustrations  by 
means  of  which  he  enforced  his  views ;  above  all,  they 
valued  the  sobriety  and  seriousness  with  which  he  dis- 
cussed with  them  the  great  questions  of  the  day.  Clap- 
trap was  something  that  was  hateful  to  Playfair  through- 
out his  life;  and  playful  and  gay  as  was  his  spirit  in  his 
moments  of  relaxation,  he  never  allowed  himself  to  be 
flippant  or  shallow  when  dealing  in  public  with  public 
affairs.  He  made  it  his  business  when  about  to  address  a 
meeting  of  working  men  in  Hunslet  (the  district  of  Leeds 
which  constitutes  the  Parliamentary  division  of  South 
Leeds)  to  prepare  himself  as  thoroughly  for  the  duty  as 
though  he  had  to  appear  before  a  company  of  philosophers 
in  Edinburgh  or  Albemarle  Street. 

Nor  was  this  all.  Whilst  he  took  full  advantage  of  the 
freedom  he  had  now  secured  in  order  to  give  expression  to 
those  political  opinions  which  he  had  firmly  held  through- 
out his  life,  he  did  not  forget  those  less  contentious  ques- 
tions which  had  absorbed  so  many  of  the  years  of  his  man- 
hood. He  spoke  out  with  clearness  and  freedom  on  the 
political  topics  of  the  day,  and  left  his  auditors  in  no  doubt 
as  to  the  robustness  of  his  political  creed.  But  from  time 
to  time  he  diverted  their  attention  from  the  burning  topics 
of  the  hour  in  order  to  address  them  upon  such  questions 
as  the  future  of  English  industry,  the  need  for  technical 
instruction  of  the  English  working  men,  and  the  economic 
doctrines  upon  which  our  commercial  prosperity  depends. 
To  an  outsider,  accustomed  to  the  ordinary  course  of  a 
contested  election  in  this  country,  it  might  have  seemed 
that  Playfair  was  making  a  great  mistake  when,  instead  of 
treating  the  working  men  of  South  Leeds  to  the  flowing 
rhetoric  and  easy  platitudes  of  the  ordinary  politician,  he 


340  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

called  them  together  in  order  that  they  might  listen  to 
closely  reasoned  arguments,  crammed  full  of  facts  and 
figures,  on  such  questions  as  those  I  have  named.  Yet  the 
end  justified  the  means,  and  from  personal  observation  I 
can  testify  that  in  the  fierce  electoral  struggle  of  1885 
there  were  no  meetings  more  densely  crowded  or  more 
appreciative  and  enthusiastic  in  all  the  wide  county  of 
Yorkshire  than  those  which  Lyon  Playfair  addressed  in  the 
Mechanics'  Institution  and  similar  buildings  in  the  manu- 
facturing district  of  Hunslet. 

This,  it  should  be  borne  in  mind,  was  the  first  occasion 
on  which  the  redistribution  of  seats  that  followed  the 
passing  of  the  County  Suffrage  Bill  was  carried  into  effect. 
South  Leeds  was  thus,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  a  new 
constituency.  It  was  no  longer  a  mere  section  of  the 
great  constituency  of  the  united  borough  of  Leeds.  It 
had  entered  upon  a  new  political  life.  Its  candidate,  soon 
to  become  its  member,  was  in  the  same  condition.  He, 
too,  had  entered  upon  a  new  political  life.  No  more 
interesting  election  took  place  in  England  during  that  year 
of  1885.  It  was  not  by  any  means  a  typical  election. 
The  reader  has  seen  how  small  a  degree  Lyon  Playfair  had 
in  him  of  the  arts  and  practices  of  the  ordinary  candidate. 
There  was  something  quaint  in  the  spectacle  which  this  man 
of  years  and  learning  presented  when  he  stood  up  to  appeal 
to  a  great  working-class  constituency,  and  sought  to  win 
their  sympathies  by  instructing  them  upon  topics  which 
even  in  cultured  society  are  regarded  as  too  grave  and 
serious  to  be  tolerated  unnecessarily.  Yet,  as  I  have  said, 
the  experiment  succeeded.  Playfair  had  found  a  con- 
stituency which  suited  him  admirably,  which  he  could 
influence  and  control  as  effectually  as  if  he  had  been  one  of 
the  born  masters  of  oratory  ;  and  South  Leeds  had  found  a 
member  whom  it  regarded  with  mingled  pride  and  affection, 
and  in  whom  it  reposed  a  confidence  which  it  never  with- 


VICE-PRESIDENT   OF   THE   COUNCIL.  34 1 

drew  from  him  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  To  many 
of  us  it  seems  a  pity  that  Playfair  was  not  permitted  to 
enter  upon  this  phase  of  his  public  life  at  an  earlier  stage. 
If  he  had  done  so,  his  career  might  have  been  still  more 
remarkable  than  it  was. 

The  struggle  of  1885  was  a  severe  one  in  Leeds  as  else- 
where. In  the  towns,  the  verdict  given  was  adverse  to  the 
Liberal  party,  and  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  way  in  which 
the  newly  enfranchised  voters  in  the  counties  rallied  to  the 
standard  of  Mr  Gladstone,  an  overwhelming  defeat  would 
have  been  incurred.  In  Leeds,  as  in  most  of  the  great 
towns,  the  Liberal  party  received  a  severe  check.  Three 
of  the  five  seats  were  won  by  Conservative  candidates ;  but 
in  South  Leeds  Playfair  achieved  a  brilliant  victory,  and 
had  a  majority  of  2,339  votes  over  his  opponent.  Those 
who  were  present  in  the  Leeds  Town  Hall  on  the  night  of 
the  election  can  still  remember  the  calmness  and  dignity 
with  which  Playfair  received  the  announcement  of  this 
signal  victory.  It  was  his  first  battle  in  the  open,  the  first 
occasion  on  which  he  had  taken  part  as  one  of  the  princi- 
pals in  an  appeal  to  a  popular  constituency.  Most  men 
would  have  been  excited  and  elated  by  the  victory  he  had 
achieved  ;  but  Playfair  was  calm  and  collected,  and  his  first 
thought  was  not  for  himself  but  for  those  comrades  in  the 
fight  who  had  been  less  successful.  One  of  these,  as  it 
happened,  was  an  eminent  scientific  man,  an  old  friend  of 
his  own.  This  gentleman,  Professor  Riicker,  had  stood  in 
the  Liberal  interest  for  North  Leeds,  and  had  been  defeated 
by  a  narrow  majority.  The  present  writer  remembers  the 
warm,  almost  tender,  sympathy  which  was  shown  by 
Playfair  to  Professor  Riicker,  and  the  coolness  and  sound 
judgment  with  which  he  forecast  the  result  of  the  General 
Election  as  a  whole.  His  own  personal  victory,  highly  as 
he  esteemed  it,  did  not  for  a  moment  blind  his  eyes  to  the 
fact  that  the  tide  of  battle  was  turning  against  his  party,  or 


342  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

blunt  his  sympathies  with  those  who  had  been  less 
fortunate  than  himself. 

Not  many  days  had  elapsed  after  the  close  of  the  General 
Election,  when  the  country  was  startled  by  the  news  of  Mr 
Gladstone's  conversion  to  Home  Rule.  It  is  only  neces- 
sary here  to  note  a  small  incident  which  associates  Playfair 
indirectly  with  the  promulgation  of  this  news.  No  man 
knew  more  accurately  than  he  did  all  that  was  passing 
behind  the  scenes  in  different  political  circles.  He  was 
quick  to  observe,  in  December,  1885,  certain  movements 
among  the  leaders  of  the  Radical  section  of  the  Liberal 
party,  which  seemed  to  him  to  portend  something  out  of 
the  common.  He  made  it  his  business  to  ascertain  what 
had  passed  at  certain  mysterious  conferences  between  Mr 
Chamberlain  and  some  of  his  political  associates ;  and  it 
was  the  communication  of  the  knowledge  he  acquired  on 
this  subject  that  led  directly  to  the  publication  of  the 
statement  in  the  newspapers  commonly  called  at  the  time 
"The  Hawarden  Kite."  This  statement  was  the  first 
intimation  given  to  the  public  of  Mr  Gladstone's  changed 
position  with  regard  to  Home  Rule. 

When  the  new  Ministry  was  formed,  under  the  presi- 
dency of  Mr  Gladstone,  Playfair  was  offered  the  post  of 
Vice-President  of  the  Council — the  position  being  in  reality 
that  of  Minister  of  Education.  It  seems  strange  that  he 
should  have  had  to  wait  so  long  for  a  post  for  which  he  was 
so  eminently  qualified.  Years  before,  his  friends  had  con- 
gratulated him  upon  a  rumour  of  his  appointment  to  this 
office.  The  rumour  was  false,  but  the  readiness  with  which 
it  was  accepted  among  members  of  all  parties  afforded 
evidence  of  the  fact  that  public  opinion  had  already  pointed 
him  out  as  the  ideal  Minister  of  Education.  After  all  these 
years  of  waiting  and  of  work,  the  prize  which  had  once 
seemed  so  desirable  was  placed  within  his  grasp.  But  the 
times  were  changed,  and  it  was  with  unfeigned  reluctance 


VICE-PRESIDENT   OF  THE   COUNCIL.  343 

that  Playfair  now  consented,  under  the  strong  personal 
pressure  of  Mr  Gladstone,  and  of  his  old  friend,  Lord 
Granville,  to  accept  the  post  of  Vice-President  of  the 
Council.  He  realised  clearly  that  the  Ministry,  of  which 
he  thus  became  a  member,  was  destined  to  have  a  short 
and  stormy  life.  Convinced  that  the  Irish  question  had 
reached  a  stage  in  which  justice  demanded  that  a  large 
measure  of  concession  should  be  made  to  the  views  of  the 
Irish  people,  he  was  earnest  and  loyal  in  his  support  of 
the  general  policy  of  Mr  Gladstone.  But  he  cherished 
no  illusions.  The  sobriety  of  judgment  and  keenness  of 
apprehension  which  always  distinguished  him  in  his 
dealings  with  public  affairs  did  not  desert  him  now ;  and 
he  realised  that  the  Parliament  of  1885  could  never  settle 
the  Home  Rule  question.  Nor  was  he  blind  to  the  fact 
that  those  who  entered  the  Ministry  of  Mr  Gladstone  had 
to  confront  difficulties  such  as  no  previous  Government  of 
modem  times  had  been  called  upon  to  face.  Yet,  under 
the  pressure  which  was  put  upon  him,  and  with  a  loyal 
obedience  to  the  voice  of  duty,  he  accepted  the  office  of 
Vice-President,  and  went  sturdily  to  work,  as  was  his  wont, 
to  snatch  some  good  for  the  public  from  the  stormy  sea  ot 
political  controversy. 

The  six  months'  Parliament  of  1885  did  little  that  was 
remarkable  beyond  shattering  itself  upon  the  rock  of  Home 
Rule.  But  one  important  Bill  at  least  became  law  during 
its  brief  existence.  This  was  the  Bill  for  the  organisation 
of  the  medical  profession,  which  Playfair  succeeded  in 
carrying  as  Vice-President  of  the  Council.  Looking  back, 
it  seems  strange  that  any  measure  could  have  been  passed 
during  that  time  of  indescribable  political  tumult  and 
agitation.  But  it  was  no  surprise  to  his  friends  that, 
if  such  a  success  were  to  be  attained,  the  man  who 
attained  it  was  Plavfair. 


344  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY     CONTINUED. — XI. 

1884  to  1886. 

In  the  spring  of  1884  the  University  of  Edinburgh  held 
its  tercentenary.  This  was  the  best  celebration  of  its 
kind  which  I  have  ever  attended,  and  I  have  taken  part  in 
similar  demonstrations  in  Emmanuel  College,  Cambridge, 
and  at  Harvard  University,  Massachusetts.  Eminent  men 
of  science,  literary  men  and  jurists,  came  from  all  parts  of 
the  world  and  formed  a  gallant  array  in  their  academic 
robes,  varying  in  colour  from  canary  yellow  and  light  blue 
to  the  sober  black  of  our  Scotch  robes.  There  were  three 
days  of  festivity  during  which  there  was  ample  opportunity 
of  showing  any  defects  in  the  organisation  of  the  proceed- 
ings, but  none  were  manifest.  The  students  behaved 
with  perfect  decorum,  which  was  a  new  feature  in  their 
gatherings. 

There  was  some  difficulty  in  getting  a  Royal  recognition 
of  this  celebration  on  the  part  of  the  Queen,  on  account 
of  her  strong  objection  to  vivisection,  which  she  believed 
was  carried  on  by  the  medical  faculty  of  the  University. 
The  original  charter  of  James  VI.  of  Scotland  (James  I.  of 
England)  directed  that  the  Edinburgh  University  should  be 
called  "  our  University,"  and  as  such  should  be  specially 
recognised  by  the  King  and  his  successor.  I  wrote  to  the 
Queen's  Secretary  to  this  effect,  and  ventured  to  suggest 
that  Her  Majesty  should  send  a  message  of  welcome  to  the 
distinguished  foreign  savants  gathered  together  to  celebrate 
the  tercentenary  of  her  University.  The  Queen  in  reply 
said  that  she  would  gladly  do  so  if  I  could  assure  her  that 
no  experiments  on  living  animals  were  carried  on  within  its 
precincts.  It  was  easy  to  explain  that  we  were  celebrating 
the  foundation  of  the  University,  not  that  of  the  Medical 
College,  which  was  not  even  in  contemplation  when  the 
former  was  founded.  But  the  explanation  was  not  deemed 
to  be  satisfactory,  and,  on  the  chief  day  of  the  celebration, 
the  Queen  started  from  London  to  Coburg  without  any 
recognition  of  the  celebration  from  Her  Majesty  being  sent 


VICE-PRESIDENT   OF   THE   COUNCIL.  345 

to  the  Chancellor.  During  the  whole  day  I  received  tele- 
grams from  different  parts  of  the  Royal  journey,  asking 
for  further  explanations,  which  were  sent  by  telegram  in 
advance  of  the  journey,  and  ultimately  the  Royal  welcome 
was  read  at  the  great  banquet  in  the  afternoon.  The  Prince 
of  Wales,  to  whom  I  had  also  written,  remembered  that 
he  had  been  a  student,  and  was  then  a  graduate,  of  the 
University,  and  sent  warm  congratulations. 

While  on  this  subject  it  may  be  stated  that  two  years 
later  (1886)  I  attended,  as  delegate  from  the  Edinburgh 
University,  the  celebration  of  the  150th  year  of  Harvard 
University,  which  has  done  such  signal  service  for  higher 
education  in  America.  The  exercises  on  this  occasion  were 
simple  and  impressive,  but  without  the  splendour  of  the 
Edinburgh  celebration.  I  had  the  pleasure  to  receive  the 
degree  of  LL.D.,  which  made  my  sixth  doctorate.  The 
admirable  decorum  of  the  Harvard  students  struck  me  as 
much  superior  to  that  of  English  and  Scotch  students. 

In  the  year  1884  the  British  Association  for  the  Advance- 
ment of  Science  met  at  Montreal  under  the  presidency  of 
Lord  Rayleigh.  The  occasion  was  important,  as  it  was 
the  first  time  that  the  meeting  was  held  beyond  the  seas. 
The  charter  of  the  Association  uses  designedly  the  words 
"  British  Empire."  Science  is  catholic,  and  embraces  the 
universe,  but  British  science  has  a  wide  extension  to 
colonies  and  dependencies  covering  8 J  million  square 
miles,  inhabited  by  300  millions  of  people.  This  was 
the  first  attempt  to  federate  science.  Canada  had  a 
just  claim  to  invite  the  British  Association  to  meet  at 
Montreal.  There  has  been  an  active  study  of  science  in 
Canada.  The  Geological  Survey,  under  the  direction  of 
Sir  William  Logan,  had  done  excellent  work.  He  was  no 
longer  alive,  though  his  memory  was  bright  to  many  of  us. 
Logan  came  frequently  to  England,  and  co-operated  with 
our  scientific  bodies.  I  think  it  was  in  1855  that  he  came 
over  to  the  French  Exhibition  in  charge  of  a  splendid 
collection  of  the  mineral  resources  of  Canada.  It  occurred 
to  me  that  this  would  be  a  fitting  occasion  to  recognise 
colonial  science  by  conferring  upon  him  a  Royal  honour, 


346  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

and  accordingly  I  wrote  to  the  Prince  Consort  asking  him 
to  move  the  Queen  to  confer  a  knighthood  on  Logan,  and 
this  was  graciously  bestowed. 

This  was  the  first  occasion  on  which  colonial  science 
received  an  honorary  recognition.  The  people  of  Montreal 
subscribed  for  a  commemorative  piece  of  plate  to  celebrate 
the  honour,  and  entrusted  me  with  its  execution.  The 
plate  was  decorated  with  fossil  flora  and  fossils  discovered 
by  Canadian  geologists.  A  whole  generation  had  passed 
since  that  event,  and  successors  to  Sir  William  Logan  still 
laboured  in  illustrating  the  geology  of  Canada.  Sir  William 
Dawson  and  Mr  Sterry  Hunt  were  no  mean  representa- 
tives of  that  science  at  the  Canadian  meeting.  I  recollect 
that  an  important  fact  in  science  was  communicated  to 
the  President  of  the  Natural  History  section  in  an  amusing 
way.  He,  with  his  wife,  had  been  travelling  by  the 
Canadian  Pacific  Railway,  and  returned  in  time  for  the 
meeting  at  Montreal.  Here  he  found  telegrams  from 
England  awaiting  his  arrival,  announcing  the  serious  ill- 
ness of  his  son.  He  telegraphed  for  the  latest  news,  and  a 
return  message  was  put  into  his  hands,  which  he  gave  to  his 
wife  that  she  might  have  the  first  pleasure  of  assurance 
that  her  son  was  better.  She  opened  it  and  read  :  "  The 
Duck-billed  Platypus  is  oviparous  "  !  This  was  telegraphed 
from  Australia  by  an  investigator,  who  had  been  sent  to 
that  country  by  the  Royal  Society  in  order  to  study  the 
habits  of  the  Ornithorhyncus  paradoxicus.  At  that  time  I 
was  President-Elect  of  the  Association  for  1885,  and  to 
show  our  appreciation  of  Canadian  science,  Sir  William 
Dawson  was  elected  President  for  1886,  when  the  meeting 
was  to  be  held  at  Aberdeen.  This  federation  of  science 
should  be  extended  to  all  the  Anglo-Saxon  countries  of  the 
world.  Our  great  men  are  their  great  men.  In  literature, 
Shakespeare,  Milton,  Burns,  and  Tennyson  ;  in  science, 
Newton,  Dalton,  Faraday,  and  Darwin,  belong  to  them 
as  much  as  to  us.  A  common  possession  and  mutual 
sympathy  should  induce  international  gatherings  of 
the  investigators  and  promoters  of  science  among  the 
great  Anglo-Saxon  nations  of  the  world.     Before  leaving 


VICE-PRESIDENT   OF  THE   COUNCIL.  347 

Montreal  the  McGill  University  gave  some  of  us  a 
pleasing  memorial  of  our  visit  by  conferring  upon  us  the 
degree  of  LL.D. 

In  1885  the  British  Association  met  at  Aberdeen  in 
September,  when  I  acted  as  President  for  the  year.  It 
had  met  in  that  city  in  1859  under  the  presidency  of  the 
Prince  Consort,  who  then  gave  one  of  his  admirable 
addresses  on  the  relations  of  science  to  the  State.  This 
was  made  the  subject  of  my  address,  with  the  advantage 
that  science  was  now  generally  acknowledged  as  a  hand- 
maid of  the  State,  its  objects  and  purposes  being  far  wider 
than  those  of  statecraft.  The  meeting  at  Aberdeen  was 
successful  and  enjoyable.  The  President  has  the  least 
enjoyment  of  a  meeting  of  this  kind,  because  his  duties 
occupy  every  moment  of  his  time.  During  the  week  the 
Queen  invited  Lord  Rayleigh  (the  President  at  Montreal) 
and  myself  to  pay  a  visit  to  Balmoral.  We  arrived  shortly 
before  dinner,  and  found,  in  addition  to  the  Queen  and 
Royal  Family,  my  old  friend,  Sir  Stafford  Northcote  (after- 
wards Lord  Iddesleigh),  as  Minister  in  attendance.  After 
dinner  the  Queen  spoke  to  me  chiefly  about  the  Prince 
Consort  and  his  interest  in  science,  but  she  did  not  intimate 
any  desire  to  renew  the  conversation  on  the  following  day. 
Accordingly,  as  our  presence  was  necessary  in  Aberdeen, 
Lord  Rayleigh  and  I  left  the  castle  at  six  in  the  morning 
on  our  return  to  the  duties  of  the  Association.  At  eleven 
the  Queen  sent  for  us  to  attend  at  her  rooms,  and  was 
astonished  to  find  that  we  had  departed,  as  she  had 
intended  to  present  us  with  copies  of  the  various  works 
which  she  has  written  on  her  Highland  home.  However, 
two  days  later  the  Queen  sent  Mr.  Profeit,  her  land 
agent,  to  Tillypronie,  the  seat  of  Sir  John  Clark,  which  is 
about  twenty  miles  from  Balmoral,  with  whom  I  was 
then  staying,  and  the  prized  volumes  were  delivered, 
each  volume  being  inscribed  with  our  names  and  with 
the  Queen's  signature. 

The  meeting  in  Aberdeen  will  be  long  remembered,  by 
those  who  attended  it,  for  its  pleasant  hospitality.  The 
neighbourhood  of  Haddo   House,  where  Lord  and  Lady 


348  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Aberdeen  are  such  genial  hosts,  was  used  for  both  private 
and  public  hospitality.  It  was  too  distant  for  me  to  live  at 
Haddo  House,  as  I  had  to  perform  my  duties  as  President, 
but  we  spent  some  days  there.  Our  hosts  in  Aberdeen 
were  Lord  Provost  Matthews  and  Mrs  Matthews,  and  we 
could  not  have  been  better  entertained. 

My  wife  and  I  took  the  opportunity  of  being  in  Scot- 
land to  pay  many  long-promised  visits  among  our  friends. 
Our  headquarters  were  with  our  friends  Mr  and  Mrs  Lyell 
(now  Sir  Leonard  and  Lady  Lyell),  of  Kinnordy,  the 
former  seat  of  Sir  Charles  Lyell,  the  founder  of  modern 
geology.  Lord  and  Lady  Strathmore  showed  us  the  hos- 
pitalities of  Glamis  Castle.  It  was  a  delight  to  me,  under 
the  guidance  of  Lady  Strathmore,  to  visit  all  the  haunts 
about  the  estate  which  were  dear  to  me  nearly  fifty  years 
ago  as  a  boy,  when  I  spent  my  vacations  with  my  uncle, 
Dr  Lyon,  the  minister  of  Glamis.1  Another  friend,  the 
Dowager  Countess  of  Airlie,  who  then  lived  at  Cortachy 
Castle,  though  she  now  lives  "at  the  bonny  house  of 
Airlie,"  added  to  our  enjoyment  by  her  hospitality  in  both 
houses.  Lady  Airlie  is  often  mentioned  in  the  Memoirs  of 
the  Carlyles.  She  is  a  woman  of  much  culture  and  charm- 
ing manner.  To  my  wife  she  has  been  long  a  devoted 
friend.  The  late  Lord  Airlie  died  in  the  United  States, 
which  he  frequently  visited,  as  members  of  his  family 
resided  there.  When  we  could  we  made  arrangements  to 
cross  the  Atlantic  together,  and  I  have  always  regretted 
that  we  were  not  companions  in  his  last  illness. 

There  was  a  General  Election  in  the  autumn  of  the  year 
1885.  Ever  since  1868  I  had  been  the  Parliamentary 
representative  of  the  Universities  of  Edinburgh  and  St. 
Andrews.  I  had  to  fight  for  my  seat  at  each  election,  and 
the  cost  of  the  contests,  always  very  heavy,  was  making 
serious  encroachments  on  my  modest  fortune.  This  fact 
made  me  desirous  to  give  up  my  seat.  There  was 
another  fact  which  rendered  this  inevitable.  All  University 
seats  are  essentially  Tory.  I  had  represented  the  two 
Scotch  Universities  for  a  long  period,  as  a  Liberal,  partly 

1  See  ante,  p.  32. 


VICE-PRESIDENT  OF  THE   COUNCIL.  349 

because  I  was  intimate  with  the  needs  of  my  constituents, 
but  chiefly  on  account  of  the  excellent  relations  which 
always  subsisted  between  me  and  my  past  pupils.  When 
they  graduated  and  became  University  voters,  they  still 
supported  their  old  professor,  regardless  of  his  politics.  In 
the  course  of  seventeen  years  a  new  race  of  students 
had  arisen,  and  they  exercised  a  preponderance  of  voting 
power  which  eliminated  the  personal  part  of  the  equation 
in  my  favour. 

I  therefore  felt  that  my  chances  of  re-election  in 
1885  were  hopeless,  and  declined  to  fight  the  seat 
again.  Having  been  a  representative  of  Universities 
for  so  many  years,  no  popular  constituency  was  likely 
to  ask  for  my  services,  so  I  believed  that  my  Parlia- 
mentary life  had  come  to  an  end,  and  we  departed  to 
spend  some  months  on  the  Continent.  We  had  not  got 
further  than  Paris  when  we  were  re-called,  as  no  less  than 
thirteen  large  towns  in  different  parts  of  England,  Scotland 
and  Ireland  offered  to  make  me  their  representative.  For 
some  time  I  hesitated  between  Birmingham  and  Leeds, 
both  of  which  towns  sent  influential  deputations  to  London 
to  offer  me  liberal  support.  Ultimately  I  fixed  on  the 
South  division  of  Leeds,  which  was  a  manufacturing  con- 
stituency of  highly  intelligent  artisans.  I  feared  that  my 
academic  style  of  speaking  would  be  unsuited  to  popular 
gatherings,  but  it  appeared  that  my  constituents  had  made 
their  selection  because  I  attended  to  subjects  of  social 
welfare,  such  as  public  health,  education,  labour  and  trade, 
and  they  preferred  that  their  member  should  represent 
them  on  these  subjects  rather  than  as  a  combative 
party  politician,  for  which  I  never  was  suited  by  nature. 
The  Tories  started  an  opposition,  but  after  a  hard, 
though  fair  contest,  I  was  elected  by  the  large  majority 
of  2,339  votes. 

In  the  Parliament  of  1886  Mr  Gladstone  appointed  me 
to  the  office  of  Vice-President  of  the  Council,  practically 
the  Minister  of  Education  in  the  House  of  Commons, 
though  he  has  miscellaneous  duties,  to  perform.  There 
was  little  movement  in  education  during  this  year,  and  my 


350  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

chief  work  consisted  in  carrying  through  a  Bill  for  the 
reform  of  the  medical  profession.  Already  between  twenty 
and  thirty  Bills  had  been  brought  forward  for  this  purpose, 
though  all  of  them  had  been  defeated  by  the  jealousies  of 
the  numerous  licensing  medical  examining  boards.  Nobody 
seemed  to  believe  that  my  Bill  would  be  more  successful 
than  its  predecessors.  It  gave  direct  representation  to  the 
great  body  of  medical  practitioners  upon  the  General 
Medical  Council,  and  it  abolished  all  partial  licenses, 
making  every  medical  man  in  future  obliged  to  pass 
examination  in  the  three  subjects  of  medicine,  surgery,  and 
midwifery.  By  adequate  firmness,  combined  with  a  spirit 
of  conciliation,  the  Bill  was  steered  through  both  Houses 
without  a  single  amendment  on  its  main  principles,  and 
by  becoming  law  it  settled  the  angry  controversies  of  the 
medical  profession. 

In  July,  1886,  there  was  a  General  Election,  owing  to  the 
failure  of  Mr  Gladstone's  Home  Rule  Bill  for  Ireland. 
Again  I  was  returned  for  South  Leeds,  by  the  diminished 
majority  of  1,741.  A  Parliament  met  in  which  a  new  Tory 
Government,  under  Lord  Salisbury,  was  kept  in  power  for 
six  years  by  Liberal  Unionists.  This  new  Government 
soon  forgot  its  promises  at  the  General  Election  that  a 
Coercion  Bill  was  unnecessary  for  the  government  of 
Ireland.  A  Coercion  Act  of  much  severity  was  passed, 
and  made  perpetual.  It  was  administered  by  Arthur 
Balfour  with  ability,  though  it  was  followed  by  the  im- 
prisonment of  Irish  members  under  circumstances  of 
humiliation  which  roused  the  anger  of  the  country,  and 
ultimately  led  to  its  disuse.  As  Liberal  Unionists  were 
supporters  of  the  Government  and  determined  their 
majority,  various  Liberal  measures,  such  as  free  education, 
local  government  for  Great  Britain,  and  allotments  of  land 
to  the  poor,  were  passed  during  the  six  years  of  Tory 
Administration.  They  were  naturally  Liberal  measures 
daubed  with  Tory  paint,  and  will  give  a  future  Liberal 
Government  much  trouble  to  rub  off  the  paint  and  present 
them  to  the  country  in  a  more  Liberal  form. 


VICE-PRESIDENT   OF   THE    COUNCIL.  35 1 

Play/air  to  his  Son.         Hotel  Liverpool,  Paris,  May  31st,  1885. 

My  dear  George, — .  .  .  I  do  not  know  whether  you 
have  noticed  that  I  have  given  up  my  seat  for  the  Uni- 
versities. I  felt  the  absence  of  active  support,  and  did  not 
care,  under  the  circumstances,  to  spend  my  whole  time  in 
fighting  for  a  seat  that  I  was  not  likely  to  win.  If  they  felt 
me  indispensable  to  victory,  I  ought  to  have  received  more 
support,  and  a  contribution  to  my  expenses.  Since  my 
letter  of  resignation  appeared,  I  have  been  much  gratified 
by  finding  myself  so  much  in  request.  I  have  received 
already  invitations  to  represent  Leeds,  Bristol,  Sheffield, 
Birmingham,  Dundee,  Paddington,  Aberdeen,  and  Lanark- 
shire. Most  likely  I  shall  accept  Birmingham  as  the  most 
important  town.  I  had  nearly  fixed  on  Leeds,  but  the 
Liberal  Association  has  not  fulfilled  two  of  my  conditions  : 
(1)  unanimity  in  nomination  ;  (2)  invitation  from  the  two 
hundred  selected  Liberals.  I  therefore  wrote  at  once  to 
say  I  was  quite  free,  and  by  next  post  Birmingham  came 
in  competition.  Bright,  Chamberlain,  Broadhurst,  and 
Schnadhorst  are  the  other  Liberal  candidates  there.  The 
Committee  wrote  to  me  that  they  knew  I  was  not  a  keen 
party  politician,  but  that  they  selected  me  in  honour  of  my 
efforts  to  mitigate  the  ills  and  to  promote  the  well-being 
of  the  people  by  long  labours  in  social  reform.  This  is 
exactly  the  position  which  I  occupy  in  the  Universities, 
and  its  recognition  by  a  large  city  like  Radical  Birmingham 
is  a  compliment  which  I  much  appreciate.  By  the  time 
you  receive  this  letter,  you  will  probably  see  in  the  papers 
whether  I  have  definitely  settled  with  Birmingham. 

As  the  reader  already  knows,  it  was  not  Birmingham 
which  in  the  end  secured  Playfair  as  candidate.  The  South 
Leeds  Liberals  complied  with  his  conditions,  and  he 
forthwith  accepted  the  candidature  which  they  had  pressed 
upon  him. 

Playfair's  correspondence  with  Mr  Russell  during  1885 
and  1886  adds  something  to  the  story  told  in  his  Auto- 
biography. 


352  MEMOIRS  OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

South  Kensington, 
Play/air  to  S.  H.  Russell,  Esq.  December  5th,  i885. 

Your  watch  arrived  safely,  and  has  been  much  admired 
by  us  all.  I  shall  value  it  exceedingly.  We  are  getting  the 
arms  and  monogram  engraved  on  it,  and  inside,  "  To  Lyon 
Playfair,  from  S.  H.  and  Louisa  Russell,  1885."  It  will  be 
to  me  a  precious  memorial  of  the  affection  which  both  of 
you  have  given  to  me.  I  am  about  to  get  some  more 
copies  of  my  address,  and  will  send  you  a  small  packet  of 
them.  We  are  in  a  thorough  fix  as  to  our  political  position. 
The  Liberals  are  progressing  firmly,  but  are  only  recovering 
their  losses  in  the  towns  by  the  new  voters  in  the  counties. 
Still,  we  cannot  expect  more  than  seventy  or  eighty  majority 
over  the  Tories.  If  we  get  the  last  number  we  should  still 
be  five  under  the  Tories  and  Parnellites  combined  ;  and  this 
makes  Parnell  master  of  the  situation.  Gladstone  is  much 
excited,  and  wishes  to  form  a  Government.  This  is,  I 
think,  a  great  mistake,  for  Chamberlain  and  the  Radicals 
are  not  in  an  accommodating  spirit.  It  would  be  better  to 
remain  in  opposition,  and  let  the  Tories  disgrace  themselves 
by  the  alliance,  and  then  go  back  to  the  country  in  another 
year  for  a  new  election.  In  any  case  the  political  situation 
is  most  critical.  Some  sort  of  Home  Rule  will  have  to  be 
given  to  the  Irish,  but  in  their  present  temper  they  will 
accept  none  compatible  with  Imperial  interests. 

Same  to  the  same.  South  Kensington,  January  27th,  1886. 

Gladstone  is  again  busy  to-day,  no  doubt  forming  his 
Ministry.  I  do  not  think  he  appreciates  me,  or  perhaps 
he  measures  me  better  than  the  House  generally  does.  I 
doubt  whether  he  will  offer  me  office,  and  I  am  not  inclined, 
if  he  does,  to  accept  office,  unless  I  were  tempted  by 
the  Post  Office,  which  I  really  like  as  work.  But  before 
this  reaches  you  the  telegraph  will  tell  you  all  about  the 
results  of  the  change  of  Ministry. 

Same  to  the  same.  Athenaeum  Club,  February  4th,  1886. 

You  will  have  heard  to-day  that  I  am  Vice-President  of 
the  Privy  Council.     I  was  offered  it  yesterday  but  declined 


VICE-PRESIDENT   OF  THE   COUNCIL.  353 

it.  I  met  Mr  Gladstone  at  dinner  at  Marlborough  House, 
and  he  told  me  how  deeply  he  was  grieved,  and  entreated 
me  to  reconsider  my  refusal.  Lord  Granville  and  Lord 
Spencer  pressed  me  also  very  strongly.  To-day  I  saw  Mr 
Gladstone,  and  was  received  first  by  Mrs  Gladstone.  She 
told  me  that  he  was  very  poorly,  and  that  I  was  the  cause, 
for  he  was  quite  upset  by  my  refusal.  The  G.O.M.  then 
expressed  his  disappointment.  He  said  that  he  knew  I 
was  in  sympathy  with  him,  and  could  not  understand  my 
reasons  for  refusing  to  join  him  ;  that  as  I  had  taken  little 
interest  in  party  politics  he  could  not  put  me  in  the 
Cabinet,  but  that  anyone  who  stood  by  him  in  his  emer- 
gency had  a  right  to  look  to  that  soon.  Of  course  I  had  to 
yield,  and  so  I  am  Minister.  I  made  the  condition  that  I 
should  have  a  free  hand  in  debate. 

Windsor  Hotel,  New  York, 
Play  fair  to  Mr  and  Mrs  Russell.  November  nth,  1886. 

My  dearest  Pater  et  Mater, — A  bright  day  and 
calm  sea  give  us  promise  of  a  fair  start,  though  we  both 
leave  America  with  heavy  hearts.  You  both  have  been  so 
supremely  kind  during  our  stay  with  you  that  we  must 
have  hearts  of  stone  if  we  left  you  without  great  regret.  I 
have  enjoyed  every  moment  of  my  time  during  my  stay, 
and  never  felt  even  the  sensation  of  dulness  in  quiet  Nahant. 
You  have  adopted  me  so  completely  into  your  family  that 
I  feel  as  if  I  were  leaving  home  for  a  strange  country. 
When  we  reach  home  many  duties  will  occupy  both  of  us, 
though  they  will  not  exclude  our  thoughts  of  you. 

Ever  yours  lovingly, 

Lyon  Playfair. 


x 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE   QUEEN'S   JUBILEE   AND   INTERNATIONAL 
ARBITRATION. 

Autobiography:  The  Jubilee  Service  in  Westminster  Abbey  :  Progress  of 
the  Nation  during  the  Queen's  Reign  :  Foreign  Royalties :  Represent- 
ing England  at  the  Centenary  of  the  Declaration  of  American 
Independence :  A  Memorial  to  President  Cleveland  in  favour  of 
Arbitration:  Opposing  "Fair  Trade":  A  Plea  for  Technical 
Education  :  The  future  Fiscal  Policy  of  the  United  States.  Legalising 
the  Sale  of  Margarine. 

The  following  chapter  of  Playfair's  Reminiscences  does 
not  call  for  much  either  in  the  way  of  introduction  or  of 
supplement  from  his  biographer.  It  deals  almost  exclu- 
sively with  the  year  1887,  with  the  Queen's  Jubilee,  which 
was  the  great  event  in  home  affairs,  and  with  Playfair's 
visit  to  the  United  States  in  the  autumn,  when  he  was 
enabled  to  take  an  important  part  in  connection  with  the 
movement  in  favour  of  a  system  of  International  Arbitra- 
tion. About  his  own  life  at  home  during  this  year  Playfair 
is  almost  entirely  silent.  It  was,  however,  a  life  of  work. 
The  Jubilee  celebrations  laid  a  load  of  labour  upon  him  in 
his  position  as  Deputy-Chairman  of  the  Commissioners  of 
the  Great  Exhibition  ;  whilst  he  was  at  the  same  time 
actively  employed  on  a  Royal  Commission  which  had  been 
appointed  to  inquire  into  the  state  of  our  endowed  schools. 
His  Parliamentary  duties,  though  not  at  this  time  severe, 
were  faithfully  performed.  He  kept  up  his  close  connec- 
tion with  his  constituents  in  South  Leeds,  and  was  as 
active  as  ever  in  promoting  the  cause  of  scientilic  and 
technical  education  in  different  parts  of  the  country.  In 
the  early  part  of  the  year,  Mr  Stanhope,  the  Secretary  01 


THE   QUEEN  S   JUBILEE.  355 

State  for  War,  invited  him  to  preside  over  a  small  depart- 
mental Committee  which  was  to  be  appointed  to  inquire 
into  the  alleged  deficiencies  in  the  cutlasses  supplied  on 
board  our  men-of-war.  It  seemed  a  curious  subject  upon 
which  to  enlist  the  assistance  of  Playfair  ;  but  the  very  fact 
that  he  was  asked  to  undertake  this  minor  though  not 
unimportant  task  bespeaks  the  position  which  he  had 
gained  in  Parliament  as  a  general  referee  on  all  questions 
connected,  however  remotely,  with  science.  For  once 
Playfair  was  unable  to  comply  with  a  request  of  this  kind  : 
and  he  declined  to  take  part  in  this  cutlass  inquiry  on  the 
sufficient  ground  that  he  was  already  engaged  in  a  much 
more  laborious  inquiry  instituted  by  the  State,  and  that 
his  spare  time  was  absolutely  limited. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY   CONTINUED. — XII. 
1887. 

Tuesday,  the  21st  of  June,  1887,  will  be  long  remembered 
as  the  Jubilee  of  the  Queen,  who  ascended  the  throne  in 
1837.  The  ceremonial  of  thanksgiving  was  held  in  West- 
minster Abbey,  which  had  been  elaborately  prepared  for 
the  occasion.  The  sum  of  .£17,000  had  been  voted  by  the 
House  of  Commons  for  the  purpose,  and  certainly  was  well 
and  economically  expended.  There  was  no  jarring  effect 
by  the  galleries  and  the  upholstery  upon  the  venerable  and 
impressive  character  of  the  Abbey.  Every  available  space 
was  filled,  the  galleries  almost  touching  the  roof ;  but  when 
filled  by  persons  in  uniform,  military,  naval,  civic  and 
diplomatic,  and  by  ladies  in  semi-state  dresses,  the  picture 
was  one  of  great  beauty.  To  do  honour  to  the  Queen 
there  were  four  Kings — viz.  those  of  Belgium,  Saxony, 
Greece,  and  Denmark  ;  two  Queens,  one  of  Belgium,  one 
from  the  Sandwich  Islands.  The  choir,  transepts  and 
sacrarium  were  occupied  by  princes,  members  of  the  two 
Houses   in    Court   dresses,  judges   in   their   scarlet    robes, 


35^  MEMOIRS  OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

diplomatists  covered  with  orders,  and  a  general  public  in  its 
best  attire,  forming  a  resplendent  ten  thousand.  The  dai's 
was  placed  under  the  lantern,  and  was  carpeted  with  crim- 
son cloth  ornamented  with  the  Cross  of  the  Bath.  In  the 
middle  of  this  was  the  Coronation  chair,  covering  the  old 
gray  stone  brought  from  Scotland,  upon  which  so  many 
monarchs  have  been  crowned.  That,  however,  was  con- 
cealed by  cloth  of  gold  thrown  over  it.  When  the  Queen's 
procession  came  in,  headed  by  the  clergy  in  their  gorgeous 
copes  made  in  the  time  of  Charles  I.,  and  only  worn  at 
great  State  ceremonies,  the  scene  was  most  imposing.  The 
foreign  kings  and  princes  sat  facing  the  throne,  while  the 
Royal  princes  related  to  the  Queen  either  by  descent  or 
marriage  stood  on  her  right  and  the  princesses  on  her  left. 
My  seat,  as  a  Privy  Councillor,  was  the  second  row  next 
to  the  dais,  so  that  I  had  an  excellent  place  from  which 
to  witness  the  ceremony.  Among  the  princesses,  the 
Princess  of  Wales,  exquisitely  dressed  in  white,  eclipsed 
all  others  by  her  grace  and  beauty.  The  Queen  was 
visibly  moved.  The  musical  part  of  the  religious  service 
began  with  the  71?  Deum  Laudamus  of  the  late  Prince 
Consort.  This  had  been  naturally  selected  by  the  Queen, 
though  much  doubt  was  felt  as  to  whether  it  was  suited 
for  such  an  important  occasion.  It  was  originally  written 
for  soli,  chorus  and  orchestra,  but  had  been  adapted  to 
organ  and  brass  instruments.  It  is  in  the  key  of  C,  and 
had  a  solemn,  devotional,  and  impressive  effect. 

After  the  religious  service  had  been  completed  a  scene 
very  unusual  in  a  church  took  place.  The  Prince  of 
Wales  approached,  bent  low,  and  kissed  the  hand  and  then 
the  cheek  of  the  Queen.  Then  the  Imperial  Prince  of 
Prussia  and  the  Duke  of  Hesse,  her  sons-in-law,  knelt  and 
kissed  hands,  but  were  not  saluted  on  the  cheek.  All  the 
Royal  Princes  and  Princesses  followed  in  turn  to  receive 
the  double  salute.  The  Queen  then  seemed  to  remember 
that  she  had  not  shown  this  mark  of  favour  to  the  Prince 
of  Prussia  and  the  Duke  of  Hesse,  who  were  recalled  and 
saluted  on  the  cheek.  The  repetition  of  this  gracious  act 
might  seem  to  have  a  curious  effect  in  a  church,  but  it  was 


THE    QUEEN  S   JUBILEE.  357 

done  with  so  much  dignity  that  it  simply  appeared  to  be 
a  befitting  act  of  love  and  recognition  on  both  sides. 
Beautiful  as  the  Abbey  was  on  this  occasion,  I  fancy  that 
the  state  of  the  streets  and  houses  in  the  line  of  procession 
must  have  been  still  more  interesting.  To  me  the  whole 
celebrations  of  the  day  were  full  of  memories.  All  the 
sons  and  daughters  of  the  Queen  I  had  known  as  children, 
and  it  was  interesting  to  see  her  grandchildren  nearly  as 
old  as  I  was  when  I  first  knew  their  parents. 

The  Queen  must  have  had  many  recollections  of  love, 
sorrow,  and  pride  in  this  day.  Her  kingdom  is  much  more 
advanced  in  well-being  and  in  intellect  than  it  was  in  1837. 
When  I  returned  from  the  Abbey  I  tried  to  make  com- 
parisons of  the  advance  in  civilisation  by  taking  several 
subjects  as  indices  of  progress.  My  old  scientific  master, 
Baron  Liebig,  used  to  say  that  progress  was  best  shown  by 
the  consumption  of  soap,  inasmuch  as  cleanliness  is  next  to 
godliness.  If  that  be  a  true  index,  progress  has  been  small 
in  this  country,  for  each  head  of  the  population  consumed 
7I  lb.  of  soap  in  1837,  and  in  1887  it  has  only  increased  to 
10  lb.  per  head.  The  price  of  rags  is  a  truer  measure  of 
civilisation,  because,  when  converted  into  paper,  it  gives  the 
measure  of  intellectual  diffusion.  The  comparison  is  very 
favourable  to  the  fifty  years  of  the  Queen's  reign  ;  in  1837 
only  1 1  lb.  of  paper  was  consumed  by  each  person  in  the 
population,  whereas  now  12  lb.  are  consumed.  Even  as 
regards  other  countries  England  stands  at  the  head  of  this 
index  of  civilisation  in  1887  : 


The  United  Kingdom 

-      12  lb, 

United  States 

-     10  ,, 

Germany      .... 

-       9  » 

France          - 

•       8  „ 

Italy 

-       4  ii 

Switzerland  would  stand  high,  but  the  figures  are  not 
available.  If  further  statistics  are  required  in  corroboration 
of  the  intellectual  advance,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  in 
1837  each  person  of  the  population  spent  annually  less 
than  two  shillings  per  head  on  books  and  newspapers  ;  now 
nine  shillings  are  spent.     When  the  Queen  ascended  the 


358  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

throne  nine  letters  were  posted  by  each  individual :  now 
thirty-eight  stand  to  the  credit  of  each.  It  would  be 
absurd  to  ascribe  the  amelioration  in  the  physical,  moral, 
and  intellectual  condition  of  the  people  to  the  immediate 
action  of  the  throne.  The  marvellous  progress  of  science 
and  the  abolition  of  class  privileges  have  been  the  main 
causes  of  improvement.  The  Queen  has  deserved  the  love 
and  gratitude  of  her  people  by  her  constitutional  action 
as  a  Sovereign,  and  by  her  concern  for  the  welfare  of  her 
subjects.  The  Court  influences  social  life,  and  it  is  well 
for  the  country  that  throughout  her  long  reign  she  can 
appropriate  Tennyson's  lines  : — 

"      ....     thro' all  this  tract  of  years, 
Wearing  the  white  flower  of  a  blameless  life, 
Before  a  thousand  peering  littlenesses, 
In  that  fierce  light  which  beats  upon  a  throne." 

The  Jubilee  week  did  not  pass  over  without  the  usual 
jealousies  and  misunderstandings.  The  Queen  certainly 
did  her  part  of  the  hospitalities  without  stint.  Buckingham 
Palace  was  filled  to  overflowing,  and  Buckingham 
Palace  Hotel  had  its  sign  taken  down,  and  became  a 
dipendance  of  the  Palace  for  the  occasion.  It  was  said 
that  one  official  in  the  Royal  kitchens  was  so  over- 
whelmed with  his  work  that  he  threw  himself  into  the 
Serpentine,  but  was  fished  out  alive  by  the  police. 
Holkar,  great  as  an  Indian  prince,  found  himself  only 
a  small  prince  in  London.  The  only  person  who  found 
herself  greater  in  England  than  in  her  own  dominions 
was  the  Queen  of  the  Sandwich  Islands.  This  potentate 
refused  a  guard  of  Hussars,  and  said  she  would  not  leave 
the  hotel  unless  Life  Guards  were  sent  to  her  as  a  crowned 
head,  and  she  got  her  way.  Another  story  was  that  the 
actual  kings  struck,  and  refused  to  give  their  arms  to  the 
sable  queen  at  the  State  balls,  so  the  Duke  of  Edinburgh 
and  the  Duke  of  Connaught  had  to  discharge  this  duty. 
It  was  surprising  how  well  this  island  queen  maintained 
her  royal  dignity.  I  waited  upon  her  majesty  one  evening, 
and  she  received  me  and  conversed  through  an  interpreter 
in  excellent  style. 


THE   QUEENS   JUBILEE.  359 

One  of  my  most  pleasant  recollections  of  the  Jubilee 
week  was  an  evening  at  the  house  of  the  Due  d'Aumale. 
He  had  invited  only  six  English  friends  in  all,  including  my 
wife  and  myself,  but  his  house  was  full  of  the  French  and 
Spanish  princes  who  had  come  over  to  attend  the  Jubilee. 
Among  the  most  delightful  of  these  was  the  Infanta  Eulalia 
of  Spain,  sister  to  the  late  king.  She  spoke  English  per- 
fectly, as  in  fact  do  all  the  younger  generation  of  Con- 
tinental Royalties.  The  King  and  Queen  of  Portugal 
were  at  the  party,  the  latter  being  a  daughter  of  the 
Comte  de  Paris.  We  again  met  them  on  the  following  day, 
when  we  dined  with  the  Portuguese  naval  attache,  the 
Count  de  Sena,  at  a  banquet  given  to  the  King  and  Queen 
of  Portugal.  Their  Majesties  were  as  agreeable  as  they 
had  been  the  previous  evening. 

The  Queen  founded  a  Jubilee  medal  as  a  memorial 
of  her  fifty  years'  reign,  to  be  worn  as  a  decoration.  I 
received  one  in  memory  of  my  relations  with  the  Prince 
Consort. 

I  had  occasionally  opportunities  during  my  autumnal 
visits  to  America  to  show  my  friendly  feelings  for  the 
people  of  the  United  States.  In  this  year  (1887)  I  found 
occasion  to  forward  an  idea  which  I  have  long  entertained, 
that  there  should  be  an  intimate  union  of  heart  and 
interests  between  the  English-speaking  people  throughout 
the  world,  and  more  especially  between  England  and  the 
United  States.  The  centenary  of  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence was  held  at  Philadelphia  on  the  17th  September, 
1887.  It  was  celebrated  with  great  rejoicings  in  the 
presence  of  the  President,  the  Governors  of  the  States,  and 
about  25,000  troops  sent  to  take  part  in  the  celebration. 
The  Centennial  Commission,  over  which  Mr  Kasson  pre- 
sided, were  desirous  to  have  England  represented  at  this 
great  festival,  and  they  invited  Mr  Gladstone  and  Mr  John 
Bright,  who  both  declined  on  account  of  their  age  and 
occupations.  Failing  these  great  men,  the  Centennial 
Commission  invited  me  to  take  part  in  the  ceremonies. 
At  first  I  declined,  as  I  did  not  think  myself  of  sufficient 
importance  to  act  as  a  representative  of  England,  but  when 


360  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

I  found  that  no  other  Englishman  would  be  present  to 
answer  for  the  sentiment  of  "  England,  our  Mother 
Country,"  I  yielded  to  a  second  pressing  invitation,  and 
went  to  Philadelphia,  where  I  was  received  with  much 
kindness  as  a  guest  of  the  Commission.  The  celebration 
lasted  three  days,  and  was  interesting  throughout,  but  my 
own  part  in  it  was  limited  to  the  last  day,  when  the  great 
meeting  and  banquet  were  held.  Behind  the  Hall,  in 
which  the  independence  of  the  United  States  was  declared, 
and  the  Constitution  framed  with  such  consummate 
wisdom,  an  immense  platform  had  been  built.  President 
Cleveland,  supported  by  the  chief  officers  of  his  Cabinet,  by 
the  Governors  of  the  States,  by  the  judiciary  and  by  the 
invited  guests,  sat  among  a  circle  of  people  which  made 
this  centennial  celebration  more  remarkable  than  any  that 
can  be  held  in  future  times.  For  on  the  platform  around 
the  President  were  the  grandsons  of  nearly  all  the  men 
who  built  the  constitution  and  signed  the  famous  charter. 
When  another  centennial  celebration  comes  round  this 
link  between  the  past  and  the  present  will  have 
disappeared.  Beyond  the  platform  in  the  Square  was  an 
immense  concourse  of  people  who  patiently  waited  for  the 
conclusion  of  the  orations,  not  one  word  of  which  could 
have  reached  their  ears.  The  whole  surroundings  made 
the  ceremony  most  impressive. 

A  little  incident  occurred  as  I  left  the  platform  which 
showed  the  good  temper  prevailing  among  the  crowd.  As 
I  was  trying  to  push  my  way  through,  an  American 
working  man  addressed  me  good-naturedly  as  "John  Bull," 
and  asked  me  to  shake  hands.  "Well,"  he  said,  "if  our 
two  countries  would  only  feel  as  friendly  to  each  other  as 
I  do  to  you  as  an  Englishman,  the  peace  of  the  world 
would  be  preserved."  This  gave  me  courage  for  my  part 
of  the  work  of  the  day.  The  great  banquet  to  celebrate 
the  event  was  held  in  the  Academy  of  Music.  The  tables 
were  classified ;  thus  there  was  a  table  for  Governors,  one 
for  Congress,  one  for  Science,  one  for  Senators,  and  so  on. 
My  place  was  at  the  Science  table,  where  I  found  my 
University  friends.     The  galleries  were  filled  with  ladies, 


THE   QUEEN'S  JUBILEE.  36 1 

conspicuous  among  whom  was  the  beautiful  and  graceful 
Mrs  Cleveland,  wife  of  the  President.  The  acoustic 
properties  of  the  Hall,  that  night  at  least,  were  bad,  and 
few  of  the  speeches  were  audible  at  my  table.  I  felt,  if  I 
spoke  from  my  seat,  not  a  word  would  be  heard  throughout 
the  Hall,  so  when  the  toast  of  England  was  about  to  be 
proposed  I  went  up  to  the  Senators'  table,  at  which  I  was 
warmly  welcomed,  and  spoke  from  that  place.  The  toast 
of  "  England,  our  Mother  Home,"  was  proposed  by  the 
Chairman,  and  most  warmly  received.  I  had  been  told 
that  it  was  a  critical  sentiment  to  answer,  as  there  was  a 
good  deal  of  irritation  in  regard  to  the  Fisheries  question, 
and  I  had  been  auvised  to  avoid  all  thorny  points.  If 
there,  were  any  such  feeling  it  was  not  manifested  in  the 
slightest  degree,  for  the  whole  of  my  speech  was  received 
with  the  warmest  acclamations. 

Next  day  I  received  from  Professor  Pepper,  the  Chair- 
man of  the  banquet,  the  following  letter  : — 

"  I  am  sorry  that  I  did  not  have  the  chance  of  telling 
you  how  delighted  I  was  with  what  you  said  on  Saturday 
evening.  It  was  the  opportunity  of  the  evening,  I  think, 
and  I  am  sure  you  took  advantage  of  it.  Everyone  was 
so  greatly  pleased  with  your  speech." 

The  speech  itself  was  as  follows  : — 

It  is  impossible  for  an  Englishman  to  reply  without  emotion  to  a 
toast  such  as  this,  or  without  mingled  feelings  of  pride,  humiliation 
and  confidence.  With  pride,  because  this  celebration  is  the  triumph 
of  the  principles  of  political  liberty,  and  of  constitutional  govern- 
ment of  a  people  by  the  people,  in  entire  accord  with  the  great 
traditions  which  have  made  England  the  cradle  of  political  liberty. 
With  humiliation,  because  England,  in  the  reaction  which  followed 
the  Cromwellian  revolution,  and  which  lasted  until  the  close  of  the 
reign  of  George  III.,  forgot  many  of  its  old  traditions,  and  in  its 
relation  to  the  American  colonies  tried  to  suppress,  instead  of  to 
foster,  the  growth  of  government  by  the  people.  With  confidence, 
because  England  and  the  United  States  now  know  that  they  are  the 
chief  guardians  of  political  liberty  and  constitutional  government 
throughout  the  world,  and  that  they  ought  to  be  linked  for  evermore 
by  the  bonds  of  friendship  and  kinsmanship. 

On  such  an  occasion  as  this  you  will  not  desire  that  I  should  refer 
to  the   political  blunders    of   England  which    led   to   the   wars  of 


362  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

independence  and  of  1812.  In  our  present  mood  you  would  rather 
acknowledge  the  benefits  which  you  have  received  from  the  mother 
country  in  laying  the  foundations  of  constitutional  government. 
Your  ancestors  brought  with  them,  as  their  most  precious  birthright, 
the  principles  of  constitutional  liberty.  The  Magna  Charta,  the 
Habeas  Corpus  Act,  the  Bill  of  Rights  and  the  common  law  are 
your  safeguards  for  liberty  as  they  are  our  safeguards  in  England. 

Cromwell  was  the  political  father  of  Washington,  because  both 
were  champions  of  individual  and  constitutional  liberty,  and  they 
both  taught  kings  that  government  can  only  secure  permanent 
obedience  when  it  consults  the  safety  and  happiness  of  the  people. 
The  Acts  which  led  to  the  outbreak  at  Lexington  and  the  battle  of 
Bunker's  Hill  were  in  themselves  not  very  oppressive,  but  they  were 
a  continuation  of  slow  and  constant  interference  with  the  natural 
growth  of  constitutional  liberty.  The  whole  country  uprose  after 
the  final  Tea  Party  which  was  given  to  the  British  at  Griffin's 
Wharf  in  Boston,  because  the  people  knew,  though  they  had  scarcely 
felt  the  tyranny,  that  the  mere  exposure  to  it  was  the  destruction  of 
freedom. 

For  what  avails  the  plough  or  sail, 

Or  land  or  life,  if  freedom  fail  ? 

How  I  wish  that  either  of  those  whom  I  am  proud  to  call  my 
friends — William  Gladstone  or  John  Bright — were  here  to-day  to 
reply  to  the  toast  now  given.  I  am  only  a  humble  Englishman, 
half  scientist,  half  politician,  with  no  other  claim  to  address  you 
than  the  fact  that  while  I  ardently  love  my  own  country,  I  warmly 
love  yours  also.  I  speak  in  a  city  which  framed  the  Declaration  of 
Independence  and  built  the  constitution.  If  Boston  may  claim  the 
credit  of  infusing  fresh  blood  into  the  young  commonwealth,  it  was 
in  Philadelphia  that  its  brain  was  nurtured  and  matured. 

The  occasion  of  this  celebration,  the  place  and  all  its  environ- 
ments, inspire  thoughts,  but  do  not  fit  them  for  condensation  into 
an  after-dinner  speech.  I  shall  say  nothing  more  as  to  your  war  of 
independence  beyond  this,  that  without  it  you  would  never  have 
become  a  great  nation.  Great  nations  must  have  a  history,  and 
that  war  created  history  for  you,  and  gave  you  illustrious  traditions 
and  ancestors  of  your  own  to  whom  you  can  point  with  pride  as 
the  founders  of  your  fatherland. 

This  day  we  are  celebrating  your  second,  though  peaceful  revolu- 
tion. It  is  true  that  the  thirteen  States  had  become  a  nation  by  a 
loose  confederation.  But  that  nation,  though  of  one  promise,  had 
thirteen  performances,  and  no  nation  has  ever  preserved  its  unity 
with  even  two  executives.  It  was  therefore  a  veritable  revolution 
when  the  convention  of  1787  framed  that  marvellous  production  of 
human  genius,  political  foresight  and  practical  sagacity — the  consti- 
tution of  the  United  States.     Its  first  words:    ''We,  the  people  of 


THE   QUEEN'S   JUBILEE.  363 

the  United  States,"  not  "  We,  the  States,"  show  the  greatness  of 
the  revolution.  It  was  as  if  the  people  had  instructed  the  conven- 
tion in  the  words  of  Shakespeare  :  "  We  must  have  liberty  withal, 
as  large  a  charter  as  the  wind." 

The  Anglo-Saxon  spirit  breathes  through  every  word  of  the  con- 
stitution. Notwithstanding  your  boundless  and  continuous  territory, 
its  framers  recollected  that  great  free  nations  only  succeed  when 
they  are  composed  of  smaller  States,  because  there  is  a  longing 
among  men  of  our  race  for  local  independence  as  opposed  to 
centralisation.  With  what  skill  and  wisdom  were  the  execu- 
tive powers  given  to  the  nation  while  all  the  essentials  of  local 
government  were  reserved  to  the  States.  Ah,  there  were  intellectual 
giants  in  those  days.  When  will  you,  or  the  lovers  of  liberty 
throughout  the  world,  ever  forget  the  names  of  the  master-builders 
of  the  constitution — Washington,  Hamilton,  Sherman,  Madison, 
Pinckney  and  the  aged  Franklin  ?  It  does  not  lessen,  but  it 
enhances  the  value  of  the  constitution  that  the  best  parts  of 
English  constitutional  law  are  preserved  in  it,  set  like  jewels  in  a 
golden  casket.  Hamilton  gloried  in  this  fact  at  a  later  time.  And 
so  the  constitution,  both  in  its  inception  and  execution,  even  in  your 
last  terrible  struggle  for  unity,  has  remained  the  bright  polar  star  of 
liberty.  When  I  think  of  it  I  feel  inclined  to  exclaim,  in  the  words 
of  Shakespeare  :  "  How  beauteous  mankind  is  !  Oh,  brave  new 
world  that  has  such  people  in't." 

But  in  speaking  of  the  object  of  this  celebration,  I  have  left  but  a 
few  moments  to  reply  to  the  sentiment  of  the  toast,  "  Our  Mother 
Country."  The  people  of  the  United  States,  as  well  as  the  people  of 
the  United  Kingdom,  are  the  joint  and  common  possessors  of  their 
respective  glories  and  traditions.  Shakespeare,  Milton,  Bacon  and 
Locke,  Burns,  Scott  and  Moore  are  your  great  authors,  as  they  are 
ours.  When  I  see  their  statues  in  your  parks  or  museums  I  think  it 
quite  as  natural  as  when  I  see  the  monument  of  Longfellow  in 
Westminster  Abbey.  As  you  grow  older  in  history  our  great 
Walhalla  in  London  will  claim  its  right  to  possess  a  record  and 
share  in  the  illustrious  men  born  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  Even 
now,  Emerson,  Longfellow,  Wendell  Holmes  and  Whittier  are  the 
cherished  inmates  of  every  cultivated  English  home.  Hume  and 
Macaulay  teach  history  to  your  schools,  just  as  Prescott,  Motley 
and  Parkman  extend  historical  knowledge  in  England.  Science  has 
no  country,  though  its  investigators  have  birthplaces.  In  Phila- 
delphia I,  as  an  ex-professor,  cannot  forget  that  one  man,  to  whom 
all  my  life  I  have  given  hero-worship,  lived  and  laboured  in  this 
city.  In  his  old  age  he  co-operated  with  Washington  to  humble 
King  George  III.  But  before  that  he  had  actually  swept  out  of  the 
universe  a  much  more  powerful  prince.  When  Benjamin  Franklin 
drew  down  lightning  from  the  clouds  he  freed  religion  from  a 
degrading  superstition.     Till  then  the  "  prince  of  the  power  of  the 


364  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

air "  troubled  the  world  with  thunderstorms,  and  Popes  blessed 
bells  and  set  them  ringing  to  frighten  the  turbulent  prince. 
Franklin  was  more  powerful  than  the  Pope,  for  he  knocked  the 
prince  on  the  head.  "  Eripnit  ccelo  fulmen  sceptrumque  tyrannis." 
Another  of  your  great  Americans,  Benjamin  Thompson  (Count 
Rumford),  taught  mankind  the  correlation  of  forces  and  founded 
the  Royal  Institution  in  London,  which  has  produced  a  Davy,  a 
Faraday,  and  a  Tyndall.  It  was  right  that  an  Englishman  should 
found  your  great  Smithsonian  Institution  at  Washington. 

Long  may  we  cherish  our  common  possessions  and  national 
sympathies  !  When  America  rejoices,  England  is  glad.  When  you 
mourn  a  great  national  calamity,  we  join  in  your  grief.  When 
Lincoln  and  Garfield  fell  by  the  acts  of  assassins,  the  colours  of 
English  ships  all  over  the  world  were  lowered  "  half  mast  "  in 
honour  of  their  great  names.  At  the  death  of  your  great  general, 
Grant,  I  felt  I  was  with  you  in  body  and  spirit  when  I,  with  some 
thousand  Englishmen,  attended  the  solemn  services  at  Westminster 
Abbey  in  commemoration  of  his  services  to  your  country,  and  to  the 
cause  of  liberty  throughout  the  world.  When  Ireland,  unhappy 
Ireland,  suffered  from  famine,  we  do  not  forget  that  the  United 
States  sent  over  a  frigate  laden  with  provisions  for  the  starving 
people.  Your  acts  of  sympathy  with  us  in  our  joys  and  sorrows 
have  been  many.  Let  us  continue  to  cherish  our  common  glories 
and  past  traditions,  and  never  cease  to  aim  at  a  community  of 
interests  and  pride  in  our  national  prosperity.  It  is  no  insignificant 
evidence  of  the  friendly  feeling  now  existing  between  England  and 
the  United  States  that  a  memorial  signed  by  more  than  two  hundred 
Members  of  Parliament  is  about  to  be  presented  to  the  President, 
urging  that  any  political  differences  which  may  from  time  to  time 
arise  between  the  two  countries  should  in  the  last  resort  be  settled 
by  arbitration.  This  memorial  is  the  actual  outcome  of  the  work- 
ing men  of  England,  who  have  pressed  it  upon  their  representatives. 

I  know  that  I  have  been  far  too  long,  but  you  will  forgive  me, 
because  the  toast  unites  two  great  nations  in  one  sentiment.  The 
small  islands  in  the  northern  seas,  from  which  your  ancestors  came 
to  found  this  great  nation,  even  now  contain  only  36,000,000 
of  people,  while  already  you  have  60,000,000,  and  have  in  your  vast 
continent  an  immense  potentiality  of  growth.  We  know  that  you 
must  become  our  big  brother,  and  we  ask  you  to  cherish  in  the 
future  that  feeling  of  pride  in  our  common  ancestry,  and  that 
sympathy  for  an  allied  people,  which  we  now  possess.  If  we  do  so 
the  great  Anglo-Saxon  race  throughout  the  world  will  become  a 
security  of  peace,  and  a  surety  for  the  continued  growth  of  constitu- 
tional liberty. 

On  the  31st  October,  1887,  a  remarkable  memorial  in 
favour  of  a  treaty  of  arbitration  between  Great  Britain  and 


THE   QUEEN'S   JUBILEE.  365 

the  United  States  was  presented  to  the  President  (Cleveland) 
at  Washington.  It  was  signed  by  233  members  of  the 
House  of  Commons,  or  by  more  than  one-third  of  its 
whole  number.  Originally  this  memorial  was  promoted 
by  the  Peace  Society  of  Working  Men,  and  was  taken  up 
by  the  Labour  representatives  in  the  House  of  Commons 
much  more  warmly  than  that  society  could  have  antici- 
pated. Some  of  the  working-men  representatives  in  Parlia- 
ment desired  to  join  in  the  presentation  of  the  memorial 
signatures,  and  came  over  for  that  purpose.  I  fancy  that 
funds  were  provided  for  them  by  Mr  Carnegie,  the  liberal 
iron  manufacturer  of  Pittsburg.  Other  Members  of  Parlia- 
ment came  over  at  their  own  cost.  As  none  of  them  had 
official  Parliamentary  rank,  they  desired  that,  as  I  was  then 
in  Boston,  I  should  come  to  Washington  and  head  the 
Parliamentary  deputation.  A  telegram  urging  me  to  do 
this  was  sent  by  the  British  Minister,  Lord  Sackville.  Mr 
Carnegie  made  all  the  preliminary  arrangements  for  our 
reception  by  the  President.  The  memorial  was  then 
presented  to  the  President  by  me  with  the  following 
remarks  : — 

Mr  President  :  I  have  the  high  honour  to  represent  a  deputation 
of  twelve  Members  of  Parliament  who  present  to  you,  as  the  head  of 
this  great  nation,  and  through  you  to  Congress,  a  memorial  in 
favour  of  the  arbitration  of  political  differences  when  diplomatic 
agencies  have  failed  to  adjust  them.  This  memorial  has  been 
signed  by  233  members  of  the  House  of  Commons,  or  by  more  than 
one-third  of  its  whole  number.  It  is  really  the  outcome  of  an  ardent 
desire  on  the  part  of  the  working  men  of  the  United  Kingdom  to 
perpetuate  the  friendship  and  peace  which  now  happily  exists 
between  the  kindred  people  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic.  The 
representatives  of  the  people  have  given  expression  to  this  feeling 
among  the  constituents  by  signing  the  memorial.  Even  if  it  do  not 
effect  an  immediate  or  proximate  treaty  of  arbitration,  you  will,  Mr 
President,  recognise  that  the  memorial  is  a  remarkable  expression 
of  the  brotherly  feeling  which  our  working  classes  entertain  for  their 
kinsmen  in  the  United  States.  International  arbitration,  if  estab- 
lished, would  only  be  one  step  further  in  the  history  of  civilisation. 
When  individuals  quarrel,  society  does  not  permit  them  to  settle  the 
dispute  by  violence,  but  it  refers  them  to  courts  of  equity  or  law,  in 
order  that  the  differences  may  be  composed.  Why  should  not  this 
principle  be  extended  to  nations,  especially  when,  as  in  the  case 


366  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

of  the  United  Kingdom  and  the  United  States,  they  are  allied  by 
blood  and  knit  together  by  love  ?  We  are  both  the  common 
inheritors  of  the  traditions  and  glories  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  from 
which  we  have  obtained  the  spirit  of  conciliation,  a  spirit  that  has 
so  aided  the  national  development  of  both  countries. 

The  time  is  favourable  for  a  consideration  of  the  question,  because 
the  whole  world  is  startled  at  the  new  aspect  of  war,  which  the 
progress  of  science  is  making  a  huge  engine  for  the  brutal  butchery 
of  men  and  the  wanton  waste  of  property.  Its  increasing  cost 
threatens  the  basis  of  national  credit,  and  even  of  national  solvency. 
In  ten  years  the  cost  of  European  armaments  has  increased  by  at 
least  twenty-five  per  cent.,  while  it  amounts  to  three  per  cent,  of  the 
whole  earnings  of  Europe.  The  United  States  almost  alone  among 
nations  can  keep  down  its  combatant  expenditure,  because  it  does 
not  consider  it  necessary  to  anticipate  war  with  foreign  nations.  It 
is  here,  therefore,  rather  than  in  Europe,  that  the  proposals  for 
treaties  of  arbitration  might  naturally  be  made.  At  all  events  we 
might  devise  a  treaty  of  arbitration  between  the  United  Kingdom 
and  the  United  States.  That  would  be  a  glorious  example  to  other 
nations,  and  might  lead  to  the  two  great  Anglo-Saxon  nations  being 
the  peacemakers  of  the  world.  That  is  the  feeling  which  has 
induced  so  many  Members  of  Parliament  to  offer  their  co-operation 
to  Members  of  Congress  in  settling  political  differences  by  arbitra- 
tion. If  our  two  countries  succeed  in  doing  so,  it  will  give  an 
eminent  illustration  that  nations  as  well  as  individuals  can  compose 
their  differences  without  violence,  by  adherence  to  the  principles  of 
equity  and  of  international  law. 


President  Cleveland  admitted  to  me  in  private  conversa- 
tion that  his  feelings  in  favour  of  international  arbitration 
were  warmer  than  those  expressed  by  his  speech.  The 
Presidential  Election  was  impending,  and  he  had  not 
viewed  with  favour  the  presentation  of  the  English 
memorial,  because  he  feared  that  the  deputies  might 
make  some  compromising  remarks.  In  this  fear  he  was 
agreeably  disappointed,  and  he  promised  to  submit  the 
memorial  to  Congress.  This  was  done,  and  in  April,  1889, 
a  joint  resolution  of  the  House  of  Representatives  and  the 
Senate  adopted  the  principle  of  international  arbitration, 
authorising  the  President  to  make  treaties  with  friendly 
Powers  for  carrying  it  into  effect.  An  article  by  me  in  the 
October  number  (1890)  of  the  'North  American  Review' 
discussed  the  subject  in  detail. 


THE   QUEEN'S  JUBILEE.  367 

Undoubtedly  the  Government  of  the  United  States  is 
best  fitted  among  all  nations  to  promote  the  cause  of  inter- 
national arbitration.  It  is  strong  in  its  resources,  and  is 
free  from  the  national  jealousies  which  prevail  in  Europe. 
But  the  democracy  is  divided  into  parties,  and  the  need  ot 
parties  to  secure  votes  causes  a  fickleness  in  its  policy  and 
an  undue  susceptibility  to  supposed  insults.  This  makes 
Europe  afraid  of  the  continuance  of  its  friendship.  All  this 
will  disappear  when  there  is  increased  consolidation  of 
interests  in  its  vast  area.  When  we  are  struck  by  the  un- 
wisdom of  legislation  in  the  United  States  we  forget  its 
youth.  England  not  long  since,  in  the  time  of  Walpole, 
had  Parliamentary  faults  far  greater  than  those  we  lament 
in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States.  The  British  Parlia- 
ment has  purged  itself  of  many  political  errors,  and  so  will 
the  Congress  by  the  light  of  time  and  experience. 

On  returning  from  America  in  the  autumn  of  1887,  I 
found  that  there  had  been  a  gathering  of  delegates  of 
Conservative  Associations  at  Oxford.  The  chief  subject 
discussed  was  "  Fair  Trade,"  which  is  nothing  but  Protec- 
tion disguised  in  a  domino.  A  resolution  which,  if  it  meant 
anything,  indicated  taxation  of  food  and  foreign  imports, 
was  passed  at  a  meeting  of  a  thousand  delegates,  only 
twelve  hands  being  held  up  against  it.  The  resolution  was 
as  follows  : — 

"  That  the  continued  depression  in  trade  and  agriculture,  the 
increase  in  the  scarcity  of  employment,  and  the  consequent  distress 
among  all  classes,  render  speedy  reform  in  the  policy  of  the  United 
Kingdom  as  regards  foreign  imports  and  the  influx  of  indigent 
foreigners  a  matter  of  vital  necessity." 

Little  notice  of  this  meeting  was  taken  by  our  leading 
politicians,  as  they  found  that  the  constituencies  cared  only 
for  speeches  relating  to  Ireland.  I  felt  the  danger  of  letting 
the  Tories  sow  tares  in  our  fields  while  the  Liberals  were 
asleep,  so  I  went  to  Leeds  and  addressed  my  constituency 
"  On  Fair  Trade  and  the  Depression  in  Agriculture."  This 
speech  attracted  much  attention,  and  was  printed  and 
largely  distributed,  to  the  extent  of  40,000  copies,  by  the 
Cobden  Club.     About  100,000  copies  were  quickly  sold  by 


368  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

the  publishers.  Among  many  letters  which  I  received, 
thanking  me  for  "  having  pricked  the  bubble  of  Fair 
Trade,"  the  following  one  was  from  the  great  apostle  of 
Free  Trade,  John  Bright. 

John  Bright  to  Play/air.  January  i5th,  1888. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  have  a  copy  of  your  speech, 
sent  by  you,  I  suppose.  I  thank  you  for  it,  and  for  the 
speech  itself,  which  I  think  one  of  the  best,  if  not  the  best, 
spoken  on  the  question.  I  do  not  know  anyone  but  your- 
self who  could  have  dealt  so  admirably  with  the  subject 
of  it. 

Yours  sincerely, 

John  Bright. 

The  purport  of  my  speech  was  to  show  that  depression 
in  modern  times  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  fiscal  arrange- 
ments of  nations.  They  were  universal  and  synchronous 
in  all  machine-using  countries,  and  depended  upon  the 
revolutions  in  manufactures  and  commerce  which  had  been 
produced  by  modern  inventions.  The  world  had  not  yet 
adapted  itself  to  the  new  applications  of  science,  which  had 
dislocated  all  forms  of  labour,  lowering  the  value  of  labour 
of  quantity,  which  is  little  more  than  brute  animal  force, 
and  heightening  the  value  of  labour  of  quality,  guided  by 
skilled  and  trained  intelligence.  The  depressions  due  to 
this  dislocation  of  labour  and  to  the  cheapness  of  all  com- 
modities have  occurred  in  all  countries,  whether  they  be  at 
peace  or  war,  whether  they  have  Protection  or  Free  Trade, 
whether  they  have  a  gold  or  a  bimetallic  currency.  A 
universal  result  must  have  a  universal  cause,  and  that  is  the 
rapid  interchange  produced  by  the  electric  telegraph,  the 
facilities  of  distribution  through  improved  steam  communi- 
cation by  sea  and  by  land,  and  the  substitution  of  machine 
for  manual  labour.  It  was  necessary  to  follow  up  the  Free 
Trade  speech  by  a  series  of  proofs  of  the  major  proposition. 
Accordingly  I  made  a  speech  on  the  dislocation  of  labour 
at  the  City  Liberal  Club  in  London,  and  enlarged  it  into 


THE   QUEEN'S   JUBILEE.  369 


an  article  for  the  'Contemporary  Review'  of  March,  i< 
Shortly  afterwards  I  addressed  a  meeting  of  the  National 
Liberal  Club  "  On  Industrial  Competition  and  Commercial 
Freedom."  This  address  also  was  largely  circulated  by  the 
Cobden  Club,  and  produced  the  following  letter  from  Mr 
Gladstone  : — 

Hawarden, 

Mr  Gladstone  to  Play/air.  May  i&th,  1888. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  cannot  sufficiently  thank  you 
for  your  admirable  tract ;  so  comprehensive,  clear,  simple 
in'  statement,  rich  in  illustration.  I  hope  it  will  draw 
attention,  and  I  feel  bound  to  send  this  copy  to  our 
Reading  Room  here.  In  two  points  I  should  like  to 
strengthen  a  little  what  you  have  said,  from  the  recollec- 
tions of  my  youth.  You  speak  of  seven  or  eight  months  as 
the  term  of  the  double  passage  to  India.  My  father  sent 
the  first  private  ship  to  India.  He  built  the  largest  high 
class  ship  that  had  ever  sailed  out  of  Liverpool,  the  Duke 
of  Lancaster.  He  also  built  (I  mean  owned,  for  the  actual 
builder  was  Wilson)  the  fastest  ship  known  in  the  long 
voyages  of  the  time,  the  John  0  Gaunt,  which  used  to  get 
1  os.  to  20s.  per  ton  extra  freight  from  China  because  she 
was  pretty  sure  to  arrive  first.  She  would  certainly  have 
performed  the  double  voyage  in  the  time  you  name.  But 
earlier,  say  in  1820,  four  months  was  the  quickest  voyage 
from  Liverpool  to  Calcutta,  five  months  being  more 
common  ;  and  from  the  absence  of  postal  arrangements, 
the  ordinary  return  of  post  from  India  was  near  twelve 
months.  I  write  from  memory,  but  memory  of  earlier 
events  is  for  an  old  man  clearer  and  safer  than  of  later 
ones.  Then  as  to  manning.  The  John  0  Gaunt  was  about 
420  tons,  though  I  do  not  recollect  her  complement  of 
men.  The  Duke  of  Lancaster  was  560  tons  (found  too 
large  as  things  then  went),  and  the  crew  all  told  were 
thirty-three — you  may  say  six  men  per  1 00  tons  ;  so  the 
number  you  give  as  forty  per  thousand  tons  in  1873  would 
have  been  a  short  time  further  back  sixty. 

At  that  time,  in  the  glorious  days  of  the  Navigation 
Law,  the  American  liners  canned  everything  worth  having 

Y 


370  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

between  the  two  countries,  and  the  English  had  only  the 
scum  and  refuse  of  the  trade.  How  beautiful  they  looked 
sailing  out  of  the  Mersey  with  all  their  canvas  spread,  and 
their  light  brown  hulls  !  We  cannot  meet  with  that  sight 
now.  Again  thanking  you,  and  with  our  best  compliments 
to  Lady  Playfair, 

I  remain, 

Sincerely  yours, 

W.  E.  Gladstone. 

In  all  of  these  addresses  relating  to  industry  the  necessity 
was  enforced  for  increased  technical  education  of  the 
people.  The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  address  to 
which  Mr  Gladstone  refers  : — 


You  will  readily  comprehend  from  my  argument  in  what  manner 
we  must  prepare  to  keep  our  position  in  the  increasing  struggle  of 
nations.  We  must  give  more  of  a  trained  intelligence  to  our  pro- 
ducers, intelligence  to  the  rank  and  file,  high  technical  education  to 
the  officers  of  our  industrial  armies.  What  is  technical  education  ? 
It  is  simply  the  rationale  of  expert  empiricism.  We  must  convert, 
as  much  as  we  can  do,  labour  of  quantity  into  labour  of  quality. 
We  now  know  with  tolerable  certainty  the  conditions  which  produce 
low  wages,  and  those  which  produce  high  wages.  Our  interest  as  a 
nation  is  to  aim  at  the  latter.  What  class  of  labourers  produce 
dear  things  ?  They  are  ignorant  labourers  with  faint  ambition, 
who  are  badly  housed,  badly  clothed  and  fed,  who  have  few 
pleasures  of  the  mind,  and  who  trust  to  the  Poor  Law  to  stand 
between  them  and  starvation.  These  are  the  labourers  who  are 
content  to  work  for  low  wages,  but  the  product  of  their  labour  is 
low  and  its  cost  is  high.  What  class  of  workmen  produce  cheap 
things  ?  They  are  the  working  men  of  technical  skill  and  trained 
intelligence,  who  seek  more  education  for  themselves  and  children, 
because  they  know  that  it  both  dignifies  and  fructifies  their  labour. 
They  are  men  who,  by  combination,  have  raised  their  position  and 
shortened  their  hours  of  labour,  so  that  they  may  enjoy  some  of  the 
pleasures  as  well  as  take  their  share  in  the  toil  of  the  world.  They 
hate  the  workhouse  as  much  as  they  hate  that  kingdom  over  which 
the  devil  is  supposed  to  reign.  Their  wages  are  high,  but  so  is  their 
productiveness,  and  consequently  they  give  us  our  cheap  things. 
They  are  the  men  who  are  the  props  of  our  industries.  Though 
their  wages  are  high  they  are  cheap  at  the  price.     Protection  is  not 


THE    QUEEN  S   JUBILEE.  371 

a  force  to  raise  wages.  If  it  were  they  should  be  high  on  the 
Continent  of  Europe.  The  interest  of  a  labourer  is  to  sell  his  labour 
dear  and  to  buy  his  commodities  cheap.  Protection  enhances  the 
price  of  the  latter  ;  but  how  can  this  benefit  the  labourer  ?  Though 
the  labourer  does  not  gain  by  Protection,  the  monopolist  does,  and  it 
is  he  who  is  encouraged  and  over-remunerated  by  high  tariffs. 
England  has  abolished  monopolies,  and  refused  to  support 
privileged  classes  by  taxation.  She  is  a  country  small  in  area 
and  limited  in  population,  but  great  in  productive  energies.  She 
is  a  world-wide  trader,  because  her  manufacturers  can  barter  on 
advantageous  terms  with  other  nations  which  seek  her  free  ports  for 
the  disposal  of  their  commodities,  and  are  forced  to  accept  English 
goods  in  exchange.  The  industrial  prosperity  of  England  is  as 
much  due  to  commercial  freedom  as  her  social  condition  is  due  to 
her  political  liberties. 

Of  course  my  visits  to  the  United  States  enabled  me  to 
give  ample  illustrations  of  the  effects  of  Protection  in  that 
country.  At  the  present  time  (1889)  that  country  is  on 
the  top  of  the  wave  of  Protection  :  it  will  ere  long  be  in 
the  trough  of  the  sea.  It  will  take  many  years  before  the 
United  States  can  pursue  the  wise  policy  of  moderate  tariff 
duties  for  revenue.  When  it  reaches  this  point  England 
will  find  its  greatest  competitor  in  the  foreign  markets  of 
the  world  ;  though  I  have  such  profound  conviction  of  the 
benefits  of  Free  Trade  that  I  believe  the  ultimate  result  of 
its  adoption  by  the  United  States  will  be  to  benefit  the 
trade  of  England  also.  At  present  the  United  States  has  a 
large  area  of  internal  Free  Trade,  inasmuch  as  there  is  no 
tariff  line  between  the  boundaries  of  its  separate  States. 
When  its  manufactures  have  grown  into  a  surplus  beyond 
the  demand,  a  clamour  will  arise  for  freedom  of  commercial 
intercourse  with  the  outside  world.  The  first  efforts  will 
be  for  reciprocity  between  the  United  States  and  Pan- 
American  markets,  and  in  course  of  time  these  will  extend 
to  trade  on  fair  terms  with  all  foreign  countries.  I  was 
much  blamed  by  the  American  Press  for  writing  an  article 
on  the  Presidential  Election,  in  which  I  stated  that  the 
next  election  would  be  carried  out  upon  a  platform  of  com- 
mercial reform.  Perhaps  I  may  live  long  enough  to 
witness  one  more  General  Election  of  this  kind  in  1892, 
and  then  I  shall  see  the  fulfilment  of  my  prophecy. 


372  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  Playfair's  hope  was 
gratified.  He  lived  to  see  not  only  the  Presidential 
Election  of  1892,  but  that  which  came  four  years  later; 
and  with  regard  to  both,  his  prediction  of  the  character 
which  political  contests  in  the  United  States  were  likely 
to  assume  was  amply  realised. 

Playfair  makes  no  mention  in  his  Autobiography  of 
one  of  the  incidents  of  the  Session  of  1887.  This  was 
the  passage  of  a  Bill  which,  under  certain  conditions,  legal- 
ised the  sale  of  margarine  as  a  substitute  for  butter.  With 
that  severely  practical  turn  which  distinguished  him  in 
most  things,  Playfair  strongly  advocated  the  cause  of 
margarine.  Though  it  was  not  butter,  it  was  a  harmless 
and  palatable  substitute  for  it,  infinitely  to  be  preferred 
to  butter  of  an  inferior  quality  or  in  bad  condition.  This 
was  Playfair's  contention,  and  though  it  was  hardly  a 
popular  one,  it  was  not  the  less  stoutly  maintained  on 
that  account.  His  share  in  making  "the  poor  man's 
butter,"  or,  to  be  strictly  accurate,  substitute  for  butter, 
easily  procurable  was  not  a  small  one. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

"BARON   PLAYFAIR   OF   ST.   ANDREWS." 

A  Touching  Incident.  Autobiography  :  Opening  of  the  Glasgow  Exhibi- 
tion :  Mistaken  for  a  State  Prisoner  :  Death  of  the  Emperor  Frederick  of 
Germany  :  The  Widowed  Empress  and  Prince  Bismarck  :  Resigning 
the  Honorary  Secretaryship  of  the  Exhibition  Commission :  A  Pre- 
sentation :  Supporting  a  Royal  Grant :  The  General  Election  of  1892  : 
Raised  to  the  Peerage  :  Farewell  to  South  Leeds.  The  South  Leeds 
Election — An  Interesting  Colloquy — Appointed  a  Lord-in-Waiting  to 
the  Queen — Letters  from  Windsor  Castle — Work  on  the  Aged  Poor 
Commission — Grand  Cross  of  the  Bath — In  Canada. 

Playfair's  Reminiscences  in  a  connected  form  may  be 
said  to  have  come  to  an  end  with  the  chapter  in  which  he 
dealt  with  the  Jubilee  of  1887.  He  himself  lived  to  take 
part  in  the  Diamond  Jubilee  ten  years  later,  and  to  set 
on  foot  in  connection  with  that  great  celebration  the 
movement  for  its  national  commemoration  which  was  sub- 
sequently adopted  by  Parliament.  But  after  1887  the 
demands  upon  his  time  and  strength  were  such  that  he 
had  but  little  leisure  for  continuing  his  autobiographical 
work.  In  this  chapter  I  propose  to  include  the  two  final 
instalments  of  the  Reminiscences,  and  their  fragmentary 
character  sufficiently  indicates  the  fact  that  they  cannot  be 
regarded  as  a  complete  record  of  his  life  during  the  term 
with  which  they  deal.  Yet  the  ten  years  which  remained 
to  him  of  public  labour  after  1887  formed  by  no  means 
the  least  useful  or  important  stage  in  his  history.  From 
first  to  last  they  were  years  of  unceasing  activity,  and  they 
included  some  of  his  most  valuable  services  to  his  country 
and  his  fellow-men.     The  story  will  be  gathered  more  from 


374  MEMOIRS  OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

his   correspondence  and  the  concluding  chapters   of  this 
work  than  from  his  own  Reminiscences. 

Sandringham,  Norfolk, 

Play/air  to  his  Sister-in-law.  January  15th,  1888. 

It  is  curious  that  there  are  two  people  here — the  Turkish 
Ambassador,  Rustem  Pasha,  and  Sir  Edward  Bradford — 
who  have  been  maimed  by  wild  beasts.  The  latter  had 
the  whole  of  his  left  arm  up  to  the  elbow  joint  munched 
away  by  a  tiger  ;  and  the  Turkish  Ambassador  has  half 
his  right  hand  and  part  of  his  left  torn  away  by  a  bear. 
Both  tell  me  that  they  felt  no  pain  during  the  mutilation, 
and  they  suppose  that  their  intense  desire  to  defend  them- 
selves prevented  them  from  feeling  the  pain.  Livingstone, 
the  African  traveller,  when  his  arm  was  munched  by  a  lion, 
told  me  the  same  thing — that  he  could  not  recollect  having 
suffered  any  pain. 

It  was  during  Playfair's  visit  to  the  United  States  in 
the  autumn  of  1888  that  a  touching  incident,  referred 
to  in  the  following  letters,  took  place.  He  visited  the 
Perkins  Institute  for  the  Blind  at  Boston,  and  was 
greatly  interested  in  the  case  of  one  of  the  children,  a 
little  girl  named  Edith  Thomas.  This  child  had  been 
deaf,  dumb,  and  blind  from  birth.  When  Play  fair  saw 
her,  she  had  on  one  of  her  fingers  a  little  brass  curtain 
ring,  the  possession  of  which  seemed  to  afford  her  much 
satisfaction.  Always  fond  of  children  and  full  of  sympathy 
with  the  afflicted,  Playfair's  heart  was  moved  by  the 
condition  of  the  child.  He  returned  to  the  Institute 
next  day,  carrying  with  him  a  pretty  finger-ring,  which 
he  left  for  the  child,  who  received  it  with  delight. 

Kindergarten,  Perkins  Street, 
Isabel  Greeley  to  Play/air.     Boston,  U.S.A.   November  8th,  1888. 

Sir  Lyon  Playfair,— The  little  deaf,  dumb,  and 
blind  child  was  very  happy  over  the  ring  you  so  kindly 


"BARON   PLAYFAIR   OF   ST.   ANDREWS.  375 

sent  to  her,  and  she  has  written  you  the  enclosed,  which 
can  scarcely  be  called  a  letter,  but  it  is  her  second 
successful  attempt  at  writing  one.  The  first  was  written 
to  Mr  Anagnos  about  a  week  ago. 

I  am, 

Sincerely  yours, 

Isabel  Greeley. 
Edith  Thomas  to  Playfair. 

Dear  Sir  Lyon  Playfair, — Sir  Lyon  Playfair  sent 
Edith  ring  in  box.  Edith  thank  Sir  Lyon  Playfair  for 
ring.     Sir  Lyon  Playfair  come  to  see  Edith. 

Good-bye, 

Edith. 

During  his  first  visit,  the  child  had  examined  him 
closely,  feeling  his  hands,  wrist,  arm,  and  face,  the  sense 
of  touch  being,  as  is  so  often  the  case,  abnormally 
developed  in  the  absence  of  other  means  of  observation. 
In  the  following  year,  Playfair,  during  his  visit  to  Boston, 
went  to  the  Institute  once  more  in  order  to  see  Edith 
Thomas.  The  child  remained  in  the  afflicted  condition 
in  which  he  had  first  found  her.  When  Playfair  arrived 
she  was  merely  told  that  a  gentleman  wished  to  see  her, 
her  teacher  being  anxious  to  know  if  she  would  recognise 
her  former  friend  by  touch.  At  first  the  girl  felt  Playfair's 
hands  rather  indifferently,  but  on  touching  the  skin  on 
his  wrist  under  the  shirt  cuff,  her  face  suddenly  lighted 
up,  and,  becoming  greatly  excited,  she  spelt  rapidly  on 
her  fingers,  "  It  is  the  Englishman  who  gave  me  the 
ring ; "  and  then  she  flung  her  arms  about  his  neck, 
seeming  delighted  to  meet  again  one  who  had  done  her 
a  kindness.  During  the  whole  of  his  visit  to  the 
Institute,  the  poor  girl  clung  to  him  with  every  demon- 
stration of  affection,  constantly .  stroking  his  face  and 
hands. 


376  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY  CONTINUED.— XIII. 
1888  to  1890. 

In  May  (9th),  1888,  the  Great  International  Exhibition 
of  Glasgow  was  opened  by  the  Prince  and  Princess  ot 
Wales.  They  stayed  with  Lord  Hamilton  of  Dalziel,  who 
had  invited  a  party  to  meet  them.  Unfortunately  Home 
Rule  politics  were  too  strong  to  make  this  house  party  of 
the  mixed  character  which  it  should  have  been,  and  which 
Lord  Hamilton  of  Dalziel  desired.  Political  pressure  was 
put  upon  the  Scotch  Secretary,  Lord  Lothian,  the  Duke  of 
Buccleuch,  and  others  to  decline  the  invitation  to  Dalziel. 
The  only  Conservatives  who  resisted  this  pressure  were  the 
Earl  and  Countess  of  Strathmore  and  Mr  Cochrane  Baillie. 
The  other  guests  were  Lord  and  Lady  Herschell,  Lord  and 
Lady  Rosebery,  the  Commander-in-Chief  for  Scotland,  and 
ourselves.  Whether  the  Prince  and  Princess  and  their 
suite  knew  of  this  political  difficulty  I  do  not  know  ;  at  all 
events  they  were  as  usual  charming,  and  made  the  visit  a 
very  agreeable  one. 

The  opening  day,  Tuesday,  the  9th  of  May,  was  sunny, 
unlike  the  usual  Glasgow  weather.  The  Exhibition  Build- 
ings were  erected  on  a  commanding  site  near  the  University. 
Glasgow  distinguished  itself  by  the  preparations  made,  and 
all  the  streets  were  gaily  decorated.  Of  the  many  public 
receptions  of  this  character  which  I  have  seen,  this 
one  was  among  the  most  brilliant  and  successful.  The 
Royal  procession,  in  twelve  carriages,  passed  for  several 
miles  through  a  dense  mass  of  people,  the  volunteers  and 
military  keeping  the  route  clear.  After  lunching  with 
Lord  Provost  King,  who  lived  close  to  the  Buildings,  the 
Prince  and  Princess  opened  the  Exhibition  with  the  usual 
ceremonies.  On  the  return  procession  to  the  railway  a 
droll  accident  happened  to  myself.  Being  anxious  to  see 
the  chemical  exhibits  I  separated  myself  from  the  Royal 
party  and  found  that  it  had  started  on  the  return  route, 
leaving  a  carriage  for  me  to  follow.  When  I  entered  it, 
the  guard  of  mounted  police,  about  twenty  in  number,  who 


"BARON  PLAYFAIR  OF  ST.   ANDREWS.  377 

were  to  form  the  rear  of  the  procession,  came  behind  and 
at  the  sides  of  the  carriage.  The  people  in  the  crowded 
streets  could  not  understand  this,  and,  seeing  a  single  person 
in  a  carriage  closely  guarded  by  mounted  police,  obviously 
thought  I  was  a  State  prisoner,  and,  for  the  several  miles 
which  I  had  to  pass  through  the  crowded  streets,  gave  the 
poor  captive  signs  of  sympathy  and  applause.  It  was 
impossible  to  keep  a  grave  countenance  when  I  saw  all  the 
occupants  of  the  windows  anxiously  consulting  their  pro- 
grammes to  find  out  who  this  strongly  guarded  individual 
could  be.  Luckily  I  reached  the  railway  just  as  the  train 
was  starting  for  Dalziel,  and  amused  the  party  with  an 
account  of  my  accidental  adventure. 

On  the  15th  of  June,  1888,  the  Emperor  Frederick  died. 
I  received  the  information  from  Prince  Christian  in  the 
following  letter. 

Cumberland  Lodge, 
H.R.H.  Prince  Christian  to  Play/air.  June  15th,  1888. 

Dear  Sir  Lyon  Playfair, — We  have  received  to-day 
the  sad  news  of  the  Emperor's  death,  and  though  we  had 
been  prepared  for  it  for  a  long  time,  still  it  is  impossible  not 
to  feel  deeply  moved  and  grieved  at  such  a  sad  fate.  I 
personally  have  lost  the  truest  and  best  friend  I  had,  whom 
I  had  known  for  thirty-seven  years.  I  leave  to-morrow  for 
Berlin,  and  shall,  of  course,  not  be  able  to  attend  to  any 
business  for  the  present,  nor  can  I  tell  when  I  shall  be  back. 

Believe  me, 

Yours  sincerely, 

Chris,  v.  Holstein. 

The  universal  sorrow  and  sympathy  for  the  Empress  and 
our  own  Queen  exhibited  by  all  classes  was  very  striking. 
I  went  the  following  day  to  Dollis  Hill,  the  country  house 
of  Lord  Aberdeen,  to  a  gathering  of  foreign  missionaries 
who  at  present  are  holding  a  convention  in  London.  At 
least  five  hundred  missionaries  were  present,  two  hundred 
being  from  America.  Mourning  was  almost  universal, 
and  the  feelings  of  sorrow  were  touching.     Gladstone  was 


378  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

present,  but  he  declined  to  address  the  assembly  as  he 
feared  that  he  might  be  misunderstood,  especially  as  a 
telegram  had  just  reached  us  of  the  great  Liberal  victory  at 
Ayr,  and  he  did  not  desire  that  any  manifestation  should 
be  made  by  his  followers.  I  wrote  an  account  of  the 
sorrow  shown  by  this  assemblage  of  missionaries  to  Prince 
Christian  at  Berlin,  and  the  Prince  of  Wales  afterwards  told 
me  that  he  took  this  letter  to  the  widowed  Empress,  who 
appreciated  the  sympathy  shown  on  that  occasion. 

I  had  not  seen  much  of  the  Emperor  in  late  years,  but 
when  he  was  Crown  Prince  and  visited  this  country,  I 
occasionally  dined  with  him  and  the  Princess.  It  was 
impossible  not  to  admire  the  manly  character  and  simplicity 
of  the  Prince.  Full  of  natural  intelligence,  he  never  pro- 
fessed knowledge  when  he  did  not  possess  it,  and  was 
always  anxious  to  obtain  information.  His  kindliness  of 
disposition  endeared  him  to  this  nation  as  well  as  to 
Germany.  He  once  said  sadly  that  the  political  conditions 
of  Europe  had  undergone  such  profound  changes  since  he 
had  been  educated  as  a  successor  to  the  throne,  that  he 
doubted  his  powers  to  adapt  himself  to  the  new  conditions. 
No  one  else  doubted  his  ability,  or  his  desire  to  sustain  the 
peace  of  Europe,  had  his  health  been  preserved.  In  the 
Jubilee  procession  of  1887  he  was  the  noblest-looking  man 
in  that  great  array  of  Kings  and  Princes.  I  was  within  a 
few  feet  of  him  during  the  celebration  at  Westminster 
Abbey.  I  knew  then  that  the  best  medical  opinion  in 
London  was  that  he  suffered  from  cancer,  and  that  before 
many  months  he  must  pass  away.  This  conviction  made 
the  ceremony  of  rejoicing  for  the  Jubilee  one  of  melancholy 
to  me.  A  few  days  afterwards  his  devoted  wife  asked  me 
to  tell  her  the  prevailing  feeling  among  medical  men,  but 
I  thought  it  was  best  to  profess  ignorance,  especially  as  I 
had  no  professional  judgment  of  my  own.  I  have  a 
memento  of  the  late  Emperor  which  I  much  value.  It 
consists  of  two  large  vases  in  Berlin  porcelain,  which  were 
given  to  me  by  the  Emperor  William  upon  the  recommenda- 
tion of  the  Crown  Prince. 

In  January,  1889,  the  widowed  Empress  came  over  to 


"BARON   PLAYFAIR  OF  ST.  ANDREWS."  379 

England  and  visited  Sandringham.  She  expressed  a  wish 
that  Lord  and  Lady  Granville  and  my  wife  and  myself 
should  be  invited  to  meet  her  in  memory  of  old  acquaint- 
ance when  she  was  Crown  Princess  of  England.  The  rest 
of  the  party  consisted  of  her  three  daughters  and  the 
family  of  the  Prince  of  Wales. 

The  whole  party  were  in  deep  mourning,  though  the 
Empress  did  her  best  not  to  cast  a  gloom  over  the  young 
party  of  her  nephews  and  nieces.  She  discussed  with  me 
quite  openly  and  frankly  the  difficulties  and  unpopularity 
which  came  upon  her  after  the  death  of  the  Emperor. 
I  was  particularly  struck  with  her  defence  of  Bismarck 
when  I  remarked  that  his  behaviour  to  her  did  not  indicate 
love  for  England.  She  assured  me  that  as  a  statesman  he 
fully  valued  the  alliance  and  friendship  of  England,  and 
always  worked  to  maintain  it.  The  newspapers  blamed 
her  for  the  publication  of  extracts  from  the  Emperor's 
diaries,  showing  that  it  was  the  Emperor,  and  not  Prince 
Bismarck,  who  had  desired  the  unity  of  Germany.  She 
told  me  that  she  was  pained  by  this  publication,  and  had 
nothing  to  do  with  it.  On  the  death  of  the  Emperor  she 
had  found  his  journal  in  a  carefully  sealed  packet,  with 
instructions  outside  that  it  was  to  be  deposited  in  the  State 
archives.  This  she  did  the  day  after  his  death.  The  pre- 
mature publication  of  extracts  the  Empress  attributed  to 
the  over-zeal  of  a  friend  of  the  Emperor,  possibly  Professor 
Geffcken,  employed  by  him  to  copy  parts  of  the  journal 
written  on  the  field  of  battle  in  pencil  notes.  His  friend 
had  probably  kept  the  original  pencil  entries,  or  copies  ot 
them,  in  the  hope  of  some  day  giving  full  credit  to  the 
Emperor's  share  in  the  achievement  of  national  unity.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  Prince  Bismarck  must  have 
thought  so  also,  as  he  took  steps  to  prevent  any  further 
publication  of  the  diary  by  Professor  Geffcken. 

In  May  of  1889  I  received  a  presentation  of  plate  from 
the  Prince  of  Wales  at  Marlborough  House.  The  occasion 
was  my  resignation  of  the  Honorary  Secretaryship  of  the 
Royal  Commission  of  the  Exhibition -of  1851.  This  Com- 
mission administered  the  landed  property  bought  out  of  the 


380  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

profits  of  that  Exhibition,  the  value  of  the  estate  having 
largely  increased  since  the  date  of  the  purchase.  The 
object  of  this  purchase  was  to  find  sites  for  public  buildings, 
and  to  promote  education  in  science  and  art.  The  South 
Kensington  Museum,  the  Natural  History  Sections  of  the 
British  Museum,  the  Royal  Albert  Hall,  the  Imperial 
Institute,  the  Royal  College  of  Music  and  other  institu- 
tions are  built  on  this  property.  When  General  Scott,  the 
Secretary  of  the  Commission,  died,  I  found  that  a  long 
course  of  over-building  had  brought  the  affairs  of  the  Com- 
missioners to  a  financial  crisis,  and  I  volunteered  to  act  as 
Honorary  Secretary  until  they  were  restored  to  a  sounder 
position.  The  debts  of  the  Commissioners  were  then 
.£180,000,  and  the  annual  deficit  near  £2,000.  When 
I  resigned,  the  debt  had  been  reduced  to  the  comparatively 
small  amount  of  £26,000,  and  there  was  a  substantial 
surplus  income. 

But  the  age  of  seventy  years  had  arrived,  and  I  thought 
it  prudent  to  give  up  some  of  my  work.  The  Commis- 
sioners in  their  private  capacity  subscribed  a  sufficient 
sum  to  buy  a  service  of  old  silver  plate  of  the  time  ot 
George  II.,  and  this  was  given  to  me  in  a  very  gratifying 
way  at  Marlborough  House.  The  Commissioners  attended, 
and  the  presentation  was  made  in  a  friendly  speech  by  the 
Prince  of  Wales  in  the  presence  of  the  subscribers,  among 
whom  were  Their  Royal  Highnesses  the  Prince  of  Wales, 
the  Duke  of  Edinburgh,  the  Duke  of  Connaught,  Prince 
Christian  ;  the  Duke  of  Teck  and  the  Marquis  of  Salisbury 
(Prime  Minister),  Mr  Gladstone,  Earl  Carnarvon,  Earl 
Granville,  Earl  Rosebery,  Lord  Cranbrook  (President 
of  the  Council),  Mr  W.  H.  Smith  (First  Lord  of  the 
Treasury),  Lord  Herschell  and  Lord  Selborne  (two  past 
Lord  Chancellors),  Lord  Thring,  Mr  Goschen  (Chancellor 
of  the  Exchequer),  Mr  Childers,  Mr  Mundella,  Mr  Plunkett, 
Sir  W.  Hart-Dyke,  Sir  Sidney  Waterlow,  Admiral  Sir  A. 
Milne,  Sir  Dighton  Probyn,  V.C.,  Sir  G.  Bruce  (President 
of  the  Institution  of  Civil  Engineers),  General  Sir  T. 
Biddulph  (Treasurer  to  the  Queen),  Sir  F.  Leighton  (Presi- 
dent of  the  Royal  Academy),  and  General  Ellis. 


"  BARON   PLAYFAIR   OF   ST.   ANDREWS."  38 1 

Not  a  single  member  of  the  Commission  declined  to  sub- 
scribe, though  many  of  them  were  my  political  opponents  ; 
indeed,  the  first  subscription  sent  in  was  that  of  Lord 
Salisbury,  the  Prime  Minister.  The  secret  had  been  so  well 
kept  that  I  only  knew  of  it  by  being  summoned  to  attend 
a  meeting  at  Marlborough  House  a  few  days  before  the 
presentation.  In  replying  to  the  Prince  of  Wales's  speech, 
I  alluded  to  this  circumstance  : — 

The  secret  was  so  well  kept  from  me  that  it  was  only  within 
the.  last  few  days  I  knew  of  the  purpose  of  presenting  me  with 
any  token  of  recognition.  I  receive  with  pride  and  pleasure,  at 
the  hands  of  your  Royal  Highness,  this  gift  from  my  colleagues 
on  the  Commission.  Its  original  purpose  of  offering  sites  for 
public  institutions  is  now  nearly  completed,  but  there  is  a  future 
before  it  in  the  improved  condition  of  its  finances  which  will  extend 
its  object  to  the  promotion  of  education  in  sciences  and  arts  to  the 
provincial  towns  as  well  as  to  London.  This  development  of  its 
original  intention  will  make  it  a  national  memorial  of  the  Great 
Exhibition  of  1851,  carried  out  by  your  illustrious  father  the  Prince 
Consort  under  great  difficulties.  That  Exhibition  had  an  enormous 
influence  on  the  industries  of  the  country,  and  it  has  been  by  the 
exertions  and  example  of  your  Royal  Highness  that  this  influence 
has  never  been  allowed  to  die  out. 

The  purpose  indicated  in  the  latter  part  of  the  speech 
has  since  been  accomplished.  Scholarships  in  all  the 
leading  colleges  throughout  the  country  and  the  Colonies 
have  been  established.  Their  annual  value  is  ^150,  and 
they  are  tenable  for  two  or  three  years.  As  they  are 
only  bestowed  on  graduates,  who  have  shown  capacity 
for  research,  it  is  hoped  that  they  may  be  of  use  in 
encouraging  promising  students  to  devote  their  lives  to 
the  advancement  of  science.  Huxley,  Sir  William  Thom- 
son, Roscoe,  Lockyer,  and  other  men  of  science,  gave  me 
willing  aid  in  framing  a  scheme  for  these  scholarships. 

A  proposal  to  increase  by  .£40,000  the  annual  vote  to 
the  Prince  of  Wales  as  a  means  of  providing  for  his  family 
produced  much  discussion  in  the  House  of  Commons  at 
this  time,  though  it  was  ultimately  carried.  The  division 
list  showed  that  the  Liberals  as  a  party  were  strongly 
against   it,   and   Mr   Gladstone    and    I   were   almost  the 


382  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

only  members  of  the  party  who  voted  for  the  grant. 
This  vote  astonished  my  constituency  at  South  Leeds, 
and  I  immediately  went  down  to  defend  my  action. 
The  meeting  was  crowded,  and  though  I  received  an 
attentive  hearing,  the  feeling  was  at  first  decidedly  against 
my  support  of  the  increased  royal  grant.  I  pointed  out 
that  every  great  nation  must  have  a  Head  to  represent 
its  greatness  and  dignity.  It  mattered  little  whether  the 
Head  was  called  a  King  or  a  President,  provided  that 
both  are  surrounded  by  constitutional  safeguards  against 
the  abuse  of  their  high  position. 

It  is  only  a  question  of  expediency  whether  the  head 
of  the  State  should  be  appointed  by  hereditary  succession 
or  by  election.  By  the  former  method  the  head  of  the 
State  represents  the  dignity  of  the  whole  people ;  by 
election  he  represents  only  the  majority,  and  naturally 
favours  that  at  the  cost  of  the  minority.  The  United 
States  forms  the  best  example  of  an  Electoral  Head  of 
the  State,  and  its  experience  has  now  covered  a  century. 
But  this  system  has  grave  inconveniences.  The  President 
is  elected  for  four  years,  during  only  two  of  which  he  does 
effective  administrative  work.  The  first  year  is  practically 
wasted  in  fulfilling  the  electoral  promises  made  during 
the  contest ;  and  the  last  of  the  four  years  in  preparing 
for  the  next  election. 

The  relative  cost  of  a  King  by  succession  and  a  President 
by  election  is  much  in  favour  of  the  former.  In  the  case 
of  the  United  Kingdom  our  monarchs  have  royal  property 
administered  by  the  Government,  and  its  revenues  largely 
diminish  the  need  of  taxation.  In  fact,  the  whole  taxa- 
tion of  the  people  for  the  support  of  the  Queen  and  Royal 
Family  is  less  than  a  penny  a  head  per  annum,  while 
the  cost  of  electing  a  President  of  the  United  States  is 
estimated  at  half  a  dollar,  or  two  shillings  per  head, 
every  year. 

Politically,  the  Sovereign  of  the  United  Kingdom  has 
much  less  power  than  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
whose  Cabinet  is  personal,  and  not  within  or  accountable 
to    Congress.      This   independence    by   the    Executive   of 


"  BARON   PLAYFAIR   OF   ST.   ANDREWS."  383 

Parliamentary  control  takes  away  much  powei  from  the 
people.  In  England  the  Sovereign  can  never  practically  act 
without  the  consent  of  Parliament,  for  the  Ministers  are 
responsible  to  it,  whereas  in  the  United  States  they  are 
responsible  to  the  President. 

The  splendour  which  surrounds  our  throne  does  not 
mean  that  the  Guelphs  are  great  in  themselves,  but  that 
they  reflect  the  greatness  of  the  people.  If  they  were 
compelled  to  lessen  the  glitter  of  the  throne  by  petty 
economies,  they  would  lessen  the  lustre  of  the  empire 
which  represents  all  that  is  brilliant  as  well  as  all 
that  is  good,  earnest,  and  true.  It  is  well  for  the 
people  that  they  should  pay  a  sensible  sum  to  represent 
the  dignity  and  glory  of  the  nation,  and  I  look  with 
apprehension  to  the  rapid  improvement  of  the  Crown 
revenues,  which  will  before  long  suffice  as  an  endowment 
for  Monarchy,  and  render  it  independent  of  the  con- 
tribution of  the  people.  It  is  certainly  not  much  that 
.is  asked  from  the  population  of  the  United  Kingdom 
that  each  person  should  contribute  one  penny  yearly  for 
the  maintenance  of  the  Head  of  the  Empire. 

As  I  continued  to  speak  in  this  vein,  I  saw  that 
the  feeling  of  the  large  meeting  was  coming  round  to 
my  views,  and  at  the  end  of  the  speech  I  challenged  a 
vote  as  to  whether  I  still  preserved  their  confidence. 
Out  of  a  meeting  of  about  1,000,  three  hands  were  held 
up  against  me,  and  all  the  others  in  my  favour. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY   CONTINUED. — XIV. 

1892. 

In  1892  the  Government  of  1886  came  to  an  end,  leaving 
behind  it  both  good  and  bad  records  of  legislation.  The 
former  consisted  in  establishing  representative  Local  Govern- 
ment in  Great  Britain,  including  a  London  County  Council. 
It  is  customary  to  discount  these  measures  on  account  of 
their  incompleteness,  but  it  was  a  considerable  feat  in 
legislation  to  have  established  them  at  all.  Logically  a 
like  measure  should  have  been  passed  for  Ireland,  but  the 


384  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Bill  for  this  purpose  was  brought  in  amid  the  last  groans  of 
an  expiring  Government,  and  was  obviously  framed  for 
show  and  not  for  use.  The  Tory  Government  also  passed 
a  measure  which  to  a  large  extent  gave  free  education  in 
elementary  schools.  No  doubt  the  measure  was  halting 
and  imperfect,  but  it  is  surprising  that  it  received  the 
support  of  the  Conservative  party.  The  late  Government 
had  been  kept  in  power  by  the  Liberal  Unionists  who 
deserted  Mr  Gladstone  in  1886,  and  the  Conservatives  had 
to  pass  some  Liberal  measures  to  satisfy  their  allies. 

Ireland  during  these  six  years  has  been  under  a  Coercion 
Act,  administered  by  Mr  A.  Balfour,  the  Irish  Secretary. 
Mr  Balfour  is  a  man  of  great  ability,  but  he  had  to  win  his 
experience  as  an  administrator.  For  some  years  he  thought 
excessive  firmness  was  requisite  to  keep  down  discontent  in 
Ireland,  and  he  imprisoned  Irish  Members  of  Parliament 
for  speeches  which  would  have  been  perfectly  legal  in 
England.  This  severity  might  have  been  tolerated  had  he 
not  committed  the  error  of  treating  these  political  offenders 
against  the  Coercion  Act  as  common  criminals,  who  should 
be  obliged  to  wear  prison  dress  and  subsist  on  prison  diet. 
A  reaction  followed  this  rigour,  and  as  the  General  Election 
approached  the  Coercion  Act  was  disused.  At  last,  in 
June,  Parliament  was  dissolved,  and  a  General  Election 
followed.  I  had  a  short  though  sharp  contest  at  South 
Leeds  with  Mr  Neville,  who  reduced  my  majority  of  1,700 
in  1886  to  about  1,530  in  1892.  The  seat  was  known  to  be 
a  safe  one  for  me,  and  perhaps  we  were  over  confident,  as 
I  spent  part  of  the  election  in  aiding  candidates  in  the 
surrounding  constituencies,  including  some  in  Lancashire 
and  Cheshire. 

The  result  of  the  General  Election  was  that  Mr  Gladstone 
had  a  narrow  majority  of  forty  above  Conservatives  and 
Liberal  Unionists  combined.  The  interest  of  the  country 
was  greater  than  in  previous  elections.  The  '  Daily 
Graphic '  published  daily  the  returns  in  the  form  of  two 
ladders  placed  side  by  side.  On  the  right-hand  ladder 
Lord  Salisbury  started  high  up  with  his  large  majority, 
while   Gladstone   was  at   the   bottom.     Day   by   day   the 


"BARON   PLAYFAIR   OF   ST.   ANDREWS."  385 

Grand  Old  Man  was  seen  slowly  creeping  up  to  his  rival, 
and  ultimately  passing  him.  At  the  final  poll  Gladstone 
was  shown  at  the  top  rung  sitting  down,  and  mopping  his 
brow,  obviously  perplexed  as  to  what  he  should  do  next. 
This  graphic  representation  of  the  Election  was  a  great 
success,  and  established  the  '  Daily  Graphic '  as  a  paper. 
In  the  clubs,  during  the  Election,  members  sat  up  all 
through  the  night  to  see  the  records  of  the  elections  posted 
up  on  large  screens  as  the  telegraphic  records  arrived  from 
the  provinces. 

.  Lord  Salisbury  met  the  new  Parliament,  and  was  defeated 
by  the  majority  of  forty.  Mr  Gladstone  had  to  form  a 
new  Government,  and  met  with  some  difficulties.  His 
former  colleagues  were  advancing  in  age,  and  the  younger 
politicians  were  afraid  that  they  would  not  be  included  in 
the  Government  if  the  old  politicians  came  back.  There 
was  therefore  a  dead  set  in  the  newspapers  against  the 
veteran  politicians.  Of  his  late  colleagues,  I  was,  though 
ten  years  younger,  still  the  next  oldest  to  Gladstone  him- 
self, and  then  Stansfeld  came  next  to  me.  It  was  obvious 
that  the  chief  set  of  the  younger  Radicals  was  against  us  on 
account  of  our  age,  and  there  was  much  that  was  reason- 
able in  this  feeling.  Accordingly  I  did  not  make  the  least 
effort  to  be  included  in  the  new  Government,  and,  in  fact, 
felt  relieved  that  I  should  not  be  called  upon  to  undergo 
the  fatigues  of  a  Cabinet  Minister  in  the  House  of 
Commons.  I  therefore  watched  the  formation  of  the 
Government  with  equanimity.  I  was  surprised  one  morn- 
ing to  receive  a  letter  from  Mr  Gladstone,  which  I  presumed 
was  to  ask  me  to  join  the  Government.  Its  object,  how- 
ever, was  of  a  different  character.  The  letter  was  as 
follows  : — 

i,  Carlton  Gardens, 
Mr  Gladstone  to  Play/air.  August  13th,  1892. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  recognise,  and  am  confident 
the  nation  would  recognise,  your  fitness  to  receive  an  offer 
of  Cabinet  office  on  the  present  occasion,  were  it  not  for 
the  operation  of  an  inexorable  law,  by  which  I  ought  to  be 
the  first  person  proscribed.     But  as  I  am  not  permitted  to 

z 


386  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

profit  by  what  at  my  age  would  be  simply  a  favour,  I  have 
only  the  painful  duty  of  recognising  that  a  public  opinion, 
not  upon  the  whole  unreasonable,  deems  us,  the  members 
of  the  last  Liberal  Government,  too  old  to  resume  our 
charges  as  a  body.  I  fear,  therefore,  it  is  not  within  the 
scope  of  my  present  commission  to  make  any  proposal 
which  would  give  us  the  benefit  of  direct  assistance  from 
your  high  character  and  your  great  knowledge,  experience, 
and  ability.  There  is,  however,  a  mode  in  which  a  marked 
acknowledgment  might  be  given  to  your  services,  and  if  it 
is  agreeable  to  you  I  should  have  sincere  pleasure  in  sub- 
mitting your  name  to  Her  Majesty  for  a  Peerage. 
Believe  me,  with  much  regard, 
Sincerely  yours, 

W.  E.  Gladstone. 

Play/air  to  Mr  Gladstone.  August  13th,  1892. 

Dear  Mr  Gladstone, — I  fully  recognise  the  diffi- 
culties of  age  in  my  own  case,  though  not  in  yours,  and  I 
determined  not  to  make  the  least  effort  to  obtain  office. 
Had  you  resolved,  without  any  mark  of  favour,  to  fill  up 
the  Ministry  without  me,  I  would  have  written  to  assure 
you  of  my  loyal  support  as  a  member  of  your  party.  The 
offer  which  you  make  I  fully  recognise  as  a  high  expression 
of  your  esteem,  which  I  am  proud  to  possess.  Allow  me 
twenty-four  hours  to  consider  it.  It  is  not  impossible,  as 
my  three  children  happen  to  possess  independent  means 
and  are  richer  than  their  father.  But  I  hope  you  will  not 
consider  it  unreasonable  if  I  ask  till  to-morrow  before  I 
give  a  definite  reply.  In  the  meantime,  with  sentiments  of 
profound  appreciation  for  your  friendly  communication, 
Believe  me, 

Sincerely  yours, 

Lyon  Playfair. 

Same  to  the  same.  August  14th,  1892. 

Dear  Mr  Gladstone, — Having  considered  your  kind 
proposal  to  submit  my  name  to  Her  Majesty  for  a  peerage, 


"  BARON   PLAYFAIR   OF   ST.   ANDREWS."  387 

I  place  myself  at  Her  Majesty's  commands  should  Her 
Majesty  be  graciously  pleased  to  confirm  your  kind  re- 
commendation. Yours,  etc., 

Lyon  Playfair. 
Play  fair  to  Sir  Henry  Ponsonby.  London,  August  2yd. 

I  do  not  know  whether  it  is  proper  for  me  to  express 
through  you  to  Her  Majesty  my  feeling  of  profound  grati- 
tude for  the  dignity  which  Her  Majesty  has  been  pleased 
to  confer  upon  me.  But  I  do  not  like  to  sail  for  America 
without  showing  my  great  appreciation  of  this  high  mark 
of  Her  Majesty's  favour,  and  I  leave  it  to  you  to  express 
my  sentiments  of  devotion  and  gratitude  if  you  think  it 
right  to  do  so. 

In  thanking  Mr  Gladstone  for  this  mark  of  his  favour- 
able regard,  I  asked  for  a  short  delay  in  order  to  consult 
my  family.  Personally  I  am  too  poor  to  accept  a  peerage, 
but  my  three  children  have  independent  means.  My  son 
is  in  the  Mauritius,  as  an  artillery  officer,  with  his  wife  and 
my  only  grandson,  Lyon.  Unfortunately  I  could  not 
consult  the  person  most  interested  in  the  hereditary 
succession  to  the  peerage,  but  as  the  rest  of  my  family 
urged  me  to  accept  the  offer  I  did  so.  The  Queen,  I 
understand,  was  pleased  with  Mr  Gladstone's  request  to 
make  me  a  peer,  and  consented  to  it  in  terms  of  gracious 
kindness.  In  acknowledging  my  letter  of  thanks  General 
Sir  Henry  Ponsonby,  Her  Majesty's  Secretary,  wrote  to  me 
as  follows  : — 

Sir  Henry  Ponsonby  to  Playfair.    Osborne,  August  28th,  1892. 

Dear  Sir  Lyon  Playfair, — When  I  showed  the 
Queen  your  letter  of  thanks,  she  said  it  gave  her  great 
pleasure  to  confer  a  peerage  on  one  of  her  old  friends. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Henry  Ponsonby. 

The  title  which  I  selected  was  "  Baron  Playfair  of  St. 
Andrews."     In  that  ancient  city  my  ancestors  had  lived  for 


388  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

several  generations,  and  my  father,  mother,  and  uncles,  as 
well  as  my  grandparents,  are  buried  in  the  old  churchyard 
of  the  ruined  cathedral.  The  authorities  of  the  City  and 
University  expressed  their  satisfaction  that  I  had  associated 
St.  Andrews  with  my  barony. 

The  newspapers  of  both  parties  were  favourable  to  my 
elevation  to  the  peerage,  but  there  was  one  circumstance 
which  gave  me  so  much  pain  that  it  was  a  long  time  before 
I  derived  any  pleasure  from  the  peerage.  I  allude  to  the 
fact  that  I  had  to  separate  myself  from  the  constituency  of 
South  Leeds.  This  is  essentially  a  working  man's  con- 
stituency. The  electors  largely  consist  of  skilled  mechanics 
and  coal  miners.  They  have  always  shown  the  warmest 
friendship  for  me,  and  I  have  reciprocated  that  friendship. 
I  believe  that  it  was  nearly  as  much  pain  to  them  as  to 
myself  that  our  official  connection  was  severed.  As  it  is  a 
thoroughly  Radical  constituency  I  feared  that  th^  would 
think  I  had  treated  them  with  scant  courtesy.  But  at  the 
first  meeting  to  consider  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  peerage, 
they  unanimously  passed  the  following  resolution  : — 

Having  heard  the  letter  of  the  Right  Hon.  Sir  Lyon  Playfair,  this 
meeting  reciprocates  the  feeling  of  pain  and,  in  some  measure,  the 
pride  and  satisfaction  at  the  recognition  by  Her  Majesty  the  Queen 
of  the  services  of  the  right  hon.  gentleman  by  his  elevation  to  the 
peerage  of  the  United  Kingdom,  and  expresses  the  hope  that  his  life 
may  be  long  spared  to  add  to  a  life  made  noble  by  a  record  of  un- 
tiring efforts  in  promoting  the  social  and  intellectual  advancement  of 
the  people  ;  and  also  records  its  thanks  for  the  able  and  disinterested 
manner  in  which  he  has  represented  this  constituency  for  the  past 
seven  years. 

I  hope  that  the  new  member  for  South  Leeds  will 
appreciate  the  merits  of  the  constituency  as  much  as  I 
have  done. 

I  may  as  well  mention  here  that  on  the  23rd  of  February, 
1894,  the  South  Leeds  constituency  invited  Lady  Playfair 
and  myself  to  an  entertainment  at  Leeds,  and  presented 
her  with  a  silver  blotting  case  and  envelope  case,  and  my- 
self with  a  beautiful  illuminated  address,  congratulating  me 
on  the  peerage  and  expressing  their  warm  friendship. 


"BARON   PLAYFAIR   OF   ST.   ANDREWS."  389 

It  is  unnecessary  to  dwell  upon  Playfair's  political 
position  during  the  years  covered  by  the  last  fragmentary 
instalments  of  his  Reminiscences.  It  remained  very  much 
what  it  had  been  during  the  whole  of  his  Parliamentary 
career.  He  was  active  in  support  of  the  Liberal  cause 
during  the  years  which  preceded  Mr  Gladstone's  return 
to  office  in  1892  ;  and  not  only  at  Leeds,  but  in  many 
other  great  centres  of  industry  and  population,  he  addressed 
meetings  on  those  economic  and  political  questions  in 
which  he  took  so  deep  an  interest.  His  exclusion  from 
the  Cabinet  of  1892 — an  exclusion  due  entirely,  as  Mr 
Gladstone  stated,  to  his  age — did  not  prevent  his  being 
engaged  in  serious  political  work,  first  as  a  supporter 
and  subsequently  as  a  member  of  the  Ministry.  The 
event  which  he  felt  most  was,  as  he  has  stated,  the 
severance  of  his  connection  with  the  South  Leeds  con- 
stituency. The  peerage  which  Mr  Gladstone  offered  to 
him,  and  which  he  accepted,  was  no  compensation  to 
him  for  the  loss  of  his  position  as  representative  of  a 
body  of  men  whom  he  had  learnt  not  only  to  respect, 
but  to  love.  Yet  the  weight  of  years  which  prevented 
his  taking  a  leading  part  in  the  deliberations  of  the  new 
Ministry  made  it  desirable  that  he  should  be  relieved 
from  the  wear  and  tear  of  life  in  the  House  of  Commons. 
He  left  that  House  with  deep  regret,  and  it  may  be 
said  with  confidence  that  he  left  behind  him  not  a 
single  man  who  was  other  than  his  friend.  To  his  son, 
who  was  at  that  time  stationed  at  the  Mauritius,  where 
he  passed  through  the  terrible  experience  of  the  great 
hurricane  of  1892,  he  addressed  the  following  letters  : — 

Play/air  to  his  Son.  Onslow  Gardens,  May  23rd,  1892. 

We  have  received  your  telegram  to  Mr  Hickman  telling 
us  that  you  are  safe,  and  we  were  intensely  relieved. 
Your    kind     letter    arrived    on    my   birthday,    and    your 


390  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

telegram  also,  only  a  few  hours  later  than  the  news  of 
the  disaster.  We  suppose  that  Jerningham  was  Acting- 
Governor  when  the  disaster  occurred,  and  his  activity 
seems  to  have  been  admirable.  I  suppose  that  all  of 
you  had  to  work  hard  to  help  the  poor  people,  who 
had  suffered  severely.  We  trust  that  little  Lyon  was 
not  made  worse  by  the  fright.  In  our  moderate  climate 
it  is  difficult  to  realise  your  position  in  being  kept 
perhaps  twenty-four  hours  shut  up  in  the  house,  and 
unable  to  help  even  your  nearest  neighbours.  I  hope 
that  your  men  did  not  suffer,  but  it  must  have  been  an 
anxious  time  for  you  at  a  considerable  distance  from 
the  troops. 

I  send  you  to-day  a  speech  which  I  delivered  at  Leeds. 
I  had  for  the  first  time  some  difficulty,  because  I  voted 
against  the  eight  hours'  labour  day  by  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment. However,  only  from  ten  to  twenty  of  a  very 
crowded  meeting  voted  against  me,  and  even  they  came 
up  to  me  afterwards,  and  said  it  was  only  a  demon- 
stration, and  that  they  would  vote  for  me  at  the  election. 
We  expect  the  dissolution  about  the  25th  June  or  there- 
abouts. What  the  result  will  be  no  one  can  tell ;  probably 
the  Gladstonians  will  get  in  by  a  small  majority.  At 
present  I  have  no  opponent. 

Same  to  the  same.  Onslow  Gardens,  July  25th,  1892. 

My  election  was  pretty  hard  work,  as  so  many  candi- 
dates wanted  my  help.  I  spoke  for  seven  candidates  in 
Yorkshire  and  Cheshire,  besides  my  own  work.  Some- 
times I  made  three  speeches  daily — always  two.  My 
opponent,  Neville,  was  a  nice  young  fellow.  He  fought 
hard,  and  I  could  not  neglect  the  fight,  though  I  had  a 
majority  of  1,535.  I  got  the  support  of  sixty  per  cent, 
of  the  voters,  and  he  of  forty  per  cent.  Edith  came  to 
Leeds,  driving  about  in  a  landau,  the  horses  and  coachman 
gaily  decorated  in  yellow,  and  Edith's  dress  brilliant  with 
the  same  colour  of  the  party.  She  was  in  the  gallery  of 
the  Town  Hall  during  the  counting  of  the  votes,  and  when 
the  result  was  thrown  upon  a  screen  by  a  magic  lantern, 


"BARON   PLAYFAIR   OF   ST.   ANDREWS."  391 

Playfair 4>829 

Neville 3.294 

Majority        ....         i,535 

Edith  accompanied  me  to  the  front  of  the  platform  to 
receive  the  cheers  of  thirty  or  forty  thousand  people, 
who,  of  course,  did  not  hear  one  word  of  my  speech  of 
thanks.  As  I  was  going  into  the  hall  a  clergyman, 
obviously  belonging  to  the  High  Church,  put  his  hands 
to  his  mouth  and  groaned  at  me.  Unfortunately  for 
him,  my  chairman,  Alderman  Gilston,  was  behind  me, 
and  he  went  up  to  the  clergyman  and  said,  "  I  do  not 
know  who  you  are,  but  I  will  find  out.  My  name  is 
Alderman  Gilston,  and  I  tell  you  you  are  a  disgrace  to 
your  cloth  and  your  profession."  The  poor  cleric  slunk 
into  the  crowd  as  far  as  possible.  Another  election  story 
may  interest  you.  I  had  been  speaking  in  the  Colne 
Valley  division  for  the  Liberal  candidate,  Sir  James  Kitson 
(now  M.P.),  and  in  coming  back  by  the  train  I  went 
into  a  smoking  carriage  where  a  gentleman  was  having 
a  cigar.     The  following  colloquy  took  place  : — 

Stranger  :  Are  you  from  Leeds  ? 

L.  P.  :  I  am  going  there. 

Stranger  :  Do  you  belong  to  Leeds  ? 

L.  P.  :  I  am  a  candidate  for  a  seat  there. 

Stranger  :  You  are  Lawrence  Gane.     I  know  all  about  you. 

L.  P.  :  No,  I  am  Lyon  Playfair. 

Stranger  :  You  do  not  know  how  interested  I  am  to  meet  you. 
You  and  the  poet  Burns  have  made  me  what  I  am.  I  owe  every- 
thing to  you.  Sir,  my  father  was  the  drunkard  of  the  village,  and  I 
was  brought  up  as  the  street  Arab.  When  my  father  died  he  called 
me  to  his  bedside  and  implored  me  to  keep  off  drink,  which  had 
ruined  him  and  his  family.  I  went  to  school  and  learned  to  read, 
and  I  got  hold  of  a  copy  of  Burns,  who  opened  my  mind.  Then 
I  happened  to  see  in  a  newspaper  a  speech  by  you  on  technical 
education   and   the    dignity    of    labour.      This    made    me    join    a 

Mechanics'  Institute  at  M ,  and  now  I  am  its  President.    Every 

scrap  that  I  see  of  a  speech  by  you  I  read  with  eagerness,  and 
you  have  formed  my  life,  next  to  Burns. 

L.  P.  :  That  is  very  gratifying  to  me.  Seed  sown  broadcast 
comes  up  after  many  days  in  places  least  expected. 


392  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

This  stranger  had  so  far  profited  by  Playfair's  advice 
that  he  was  himself  one  of  the  candidates  for  Parlia- 
ment in  the  General  Election  of  1892. 

Onslow  Gardens, 
Play/air  to  his  Brother.  February  iotk,  1893. 

My  dear  Lambert, — We  are  all  eager  to  hear  about 
the  Irish  Bill  on  Monday.  There  never  has  been  such  a 
rush  for  places  as  on  this  occasion,  probably  the  greatest 
effort,  and  perhaps  the  final  one,  of  the  G.  O.  M.  I  met  him 
two  days  ago  at  dinner  at  Marlborough  House,  and  we  left 
together.  The  night  was  bleak,  and  my  brougham  was  at 
the  door,  so  I  offered  to  drive  him  home.  But,  no  !  the 
brisk  youth  said  a  walk  stimulated  circulation,  and  he  went 
off  jauntily,  while  his  juniors  put  up  their  collars  and 
jumped  into  carriages  with  closed  windows.  Yet  you 
Tories  have  nothing  but  abuse  for  this  wonderful  specimen 
of  humanity. 

During  the  autumn  Playfair  was  surprised  to  receive  a 
communication  from  Mr  Gladstone,  inviting  him  to  accept 
the  post  of  Lord-in- Waiting  to  the  Queen. 

Private. 

Hawarden  Castle,  Chester. 

Mr  Gladstone  to  Playfair.  October  20th,  1892. 

My  dear  Playfair, — It  would,  I  think,  gratify  the 
Queen  if  I  could  persuade  you  to  let  me  propose  your  name 
to  her  as  a  Lord-in -Waiting.  You  are,  I  dare  say,  aware 
that  you  would  find  on  the  list  of  colleagues  one  very 
distinguished  name,  that  of  Lord  Acton,  and  it  would,  I 
think,  be  in  your  option  to  take  charge  of  Scotch  business 
in  the  House  of  Lords,  which  may  be  much  more  than 
formal. 

You  are  aware,  I  dare  say,  that  we  were  obliged  to  cut 
off  the  political  appointments  in  the  Lords  almost  wholly 
outside  the  Cabinet,  and  that  the  Lordship-in-Waiting, 
unlike  most  of  the  Household  appointments,  facilitates 
the  maintenance  of  personal  relations  with  the  Queen. 


"BARON   PLAYFAIR   OF   ST.    ANDREWS.'  393 

I  do  not  know  if  you  are  aware  that  the  French  Pro- 
tectionists promised  an   increase  of  .£8,000,000  from  the 
new  tariffs,  and  that  the  result  is  likely  to  be  a  deficit  ! 
With  our  kind  regards  to  Lady  Playfair, 
I  remain, 

Sincerely  yours, 

W.  E.  Gladstone. 

Playfair's  work  as  Lord-in-Waiting  to  the  Queen,  though 
valued  by  him  as  keeping  up  his  connection  with  the  Royal 
Family,  a  connection  which  had  extended  over  the  greater 
part  of  his  life,  was  made  specially  congenial  because  it 
placed  him  in  intimate  relations  with  more  than  one 
department  of  the  Government  of  which  he  had  to  act  as 
the  representative  in  the  House  of  Lords.  From  his 
letters  to  his  wife  during  his  "  waits  "  at  Windsor  a  few 
extracts  may  be  made. 

Windsor  Castle, 
Playfair  to  his  Wife.  Sunday,  June  25th,  1893. 

I  had  better  write,  as  there  is  some  doubt  as  to  whether 
I  go  to  London  to-morrow  to  the  levee.  The  Queen  holds 
a  Privy  Council  to-morrow,  and  wishes  me  to  be  present  as 
one  of  her  Privy  Councillors,  so  Ponsonby  is  telegraphing 
to  see  if  they  can  get  a  Lord-in-Waiting  to  supply  my  place 
at  the  levee. 

Last  night  arrived  the  Duchess  of  Edinburgh,  Princess 
Victoria,  and  Princess  Alexandra  ;  and  also  Lord  Wolseley 
and  Admiral  Hoskyns.  I  dined  with  the  Queen,  and  send 
you  the  plan  of  the  dinner,  which  had  more  of  State  than 
usual.  You  will  see  that  the  Duchess  of  Edinburgh  was  on 
the  right  of  the  Queen,  then  I  came  between  the  Duchess 
and  her  very  agreeable  daughter,  Princess  Victoria.  They 
were  both  very  affable,  the  Queen  frequently  joining  in 
our  conversation.  After  dinner  there  was  "  a  reception  " 
of  the  ladies  of  the  Household. 

To-day  the  Queen  kindly  sent  to  say  that  she  was  to 
attend  a  service  in  the  Mausoleum  of  the  Prince  Consort, 
and  she  thought  I  might  like  to  join  it.     Accordingly  I 


394  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

walked  through  the  grounds  to  Frogmore,  I  should  think 
about  a  mile.  The  walk  through  the  Home  Park  is  lovely. 
This  Mausoleum  to  me  was  very  touching.  Over  the  altar 
is  a  large  picture  of  Christ  coming  out  of  the  tomb,  and  the 
Roman  soldiers  falling  down  under  their  shields,  overcome 
by  this  triumph  over  death.  On  each  side  of  the  Mauso- 
leum are  two  large  pictures,  one  of  the  Crucifixion  and  the 
other  of  the  Disciples'  Visit  to  the  Empty  Tomb.  In  the 
middle  is  the  sarcophagus  of  the  Prince  Consort,  with 
bronze  angels  supporting  it,  and  the  recumbent  figure  of  the 
Prince  in  white  marble.  In  a  recess  is  an  exquisite  monu- 
ment in  pure  white  marble  to  Princess  Alice.  You  recollect 
that  she  died  of  diphtheria,  after  nursing  her  child  through 
its  illness,  and  the  child  lies  beside  her,  clasped  to  her 
breast.  I  had  just  time  to  go  round  the  Mausoleum  when 
the  Queen  arrived.  There  were  three  rows  of  chairs.  In 
the  first  row  sat  the  Queen,  the  Duchess  of  Edinburgh, 
Princess  Beatrice,  and  Princess  Leiningen.  In  the  second 
row  Lady  Antrim  and  the  three  Edinburgh  Princesses,  one 
a  little  girl.  In  the  third  row  two  Ladies-in-Waiting,  Miss 
Macneill  and  Miss  Cadogan,  Sir  John  Macneill,  Sir  F. 
Edwards  and  myself.  The  music  was  hidden,  but  the  choir 
was  good.  The  Dean  of  Windsor  and  a  Bishop,  unknown 
to  me  (though  he  came  up  and  talked  with  me),  officiated. 
The  whole  service  was  pleasing,  and  I  felt  touched,  as  it 
was  the  first  time  I  had  seen  the  Prince  Consort's  tomb.  I 
walked  back  in  a  roundabout  way  with  Edwards  and 
Macneill,  and  saw  all  the  beauties  of  Frogmore.  The 
Queen  goes  there  every  morning  and  does  her  work  upon 
the  Government  despatches  in  a  pleasant  tea  house, 
attended  by  her  secretaries.  After  the  service  at  the 
Mausoleum  she  went  to  the  tea  house  to  get  through 
her  morning  work,  which  follows  her  on  Sundays  as  on 
other  days. 

Same  to  the  Same.  Windsor  Castle,  December  nth,  1893. 

To-day  we  have  had  a  most  eloquent  sermon  from  the 
Bishop  of  Ripon  (Dr  Boyd  Carpenter),  and  I  did  not  go 
out  at  all,  as  the  weather  was  so  inclement. 


"  BARON   PLAYFAIR   OF   ST.   ANDREWS.  395 

Yesterday  I  had  a  pleasant  walk  with  Bishop  Barry,  and 
he  took  me  over  the  ecclesiastical  precincts  of  St.  George's 
Chapel.  In  the  garden  there  is  a  blighted  willow  tree.  It 
was  planted  from  a  cutting  of  the  willow  tree  which  I  saw 
growing  over  Napoleon's  tomb  at  St.  Helena.  It  grew  and 
waxed  to  be  a  goodly  tree,  growing  on  the  ashes  where  the 
last  martyrdom  by  fire  took  place  at  Windsor.  On  the  day 
of  the  battle  of  Sedan,  when  the  power  of  Napoleon  III. 
fell,  there  was  a  heavy  storm  at  Windsor,  and  a  stroke  of 
lightning  knocked  the  chief  branch  from  the  willow  tree. 
Still  it  stood,  and  was  stunted,  not  blighted.  Years  after 
there  was  another  heavy  storm,  and  lightning  again  struck 
the  tree  and  earned  off  the  second  great  arm.  It  was 
afterwards  ascertained  that  this  accident  happened  just  at 
the  hour  in  which  the  Prince  Imperial  was  killed  in  Africa 
by  the  Zulus  !  There  is  a  wonderful  Napoleonic  story 
for  you  ! 

Same  to  the  Same.  Windsor  Castle,  July  16th,   1894. 

Yesterday  I  went  to  the  private  chapel  in  the  morning 
(12  o'clock)  and  to  St.  George's  Chapel  in  the  afternoon 
(5  o'clock).  The  singing  there  is  beautiful,  and  the  whole 
surroundings  make  the  service  most  attractive. 

At  nine  I  dined  with  the  Queen.  Princess  Alix  was  on 
one  side  of  me  and  the  Dean's  wife,  Mrs  Elliot,  on  the 
other.  Occasionally  the  Cesarevitch  joined  in  our  con- 
versation, and  then  it  became  general  at  the  top  of  the 
table — the  Queen,  Princess  Beatrice  and  Bishop  of  Ripon 
joining.  The  bishop  is  a  capital  raconteur,  and  is  a  good 
guest  at  a  Royal  table.  I  liked  Princess  Alix  and  found 
her  very  agreeable  when  we  did  talk  together.  After 
dinner  I  had  a  long  talk  with  the  Cesarevitch,  and  found 
him  singularly  well  read.  It  required  all  my  knowledge  of 
geography  to  keep  up  with  him  in  his  talk  about  the 
Kurile  Islands,  which  stretch  from  Yezo  to  Kamschatka. 

During  the  whole  term  of  the  existence  of  the  Govern- 
ment of  1892,  first  under  the  premiership  of  Mr  Gladstone, 
and  subsequently  under  that  of  Lord  Rosebery,  PI  ay  fair's 


396  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

services  were  in  constant  requisition.  Whenever  any  one 
of  those  questions  with  which  he  had  been  associated 
during  his  life  was  on  the  tapis,  Ministers  applied  to  him 
for  advice  and  assistance.  How  varied  and  how  onerous 
were  the  demands  thus  made  upon  his  time  and  attention 
may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  during  the  Session  of 
1894,  ne  received  in  succession  the  following  offers  of  posts 
of  a  more  or  less  laborious  character  : — The  Chairmanship 
of  the  Royal  Commission  on  Secondary  Education  ;  the 
post  of  Representative  of  Great  Britain  at  the  International 
Colonial  Conference  at  Ottawa ;  and  the  Chairmanship  of 
a  Commission  to  inquire  into  the  education  given  in  our 
Naval  Schools.  He  was  at  the  time  engaged  in  the  heavy 
work  of  the  Aged  Poor  Commission,  and  was  compelled  in 
consequence  to  decline  the  appointments  thus  offered  to  him. 

Play  fair  to  his  Son.  Onslow  Gardens,  April  nth,  1894. 

You  may  be  interested  to  know  that  the  Government, 
having  been  asked  to  send  an  Imperial  representative  to  a 
conference  to  be  held  in  June  and  July  at  Ottawa,  in  the 
interests  of  Canada  and  Australia,  have  asked  me  to  attend 
on  the  part  of  this  country.  Had  it  been  in  autumn  I 
would  have  accepted,  but  liberties  with  my  health,  at  my 
age,  are  not  permissible,  and  I  was  afraid  of  the  effects  of  a 
month  of  the  Canadian  summer.     So  I  have  refused. 

Before  he  left  for  his  usual  visit  to  the  United  States  in 
the  autumn  of  this  year,  Playfair  took  some  steps  to  secure 
a  place  of  burial  for  himself  and  his  family  at  St.  Andrews. 
The  old  burial  ground  attached  to  the  ruined  cathedral 
had  been  closed.  It  was  here  that  Playfair's  ancestors 
of  several  generations  were  buried,  and  he  would  have 
been  glad  to  think  that  when  his  own  time  came,  he 
would  be  laid  to  rest  beside  them.  But  this  ancient 
burial  ground  had  been  closed  for  sanitary  reasons,  and 
he   was   much   too   earnest   in    his   regard   for  the  public 


"  BARON   PLAYFAIR   OF   ST.   ANDREWS.  397 

health  to  desire  that  it  should  be  re-opened  merely  to 
gratify  his  own  natural  wishes.  Happily,  the  new  ground 
adjoined  the  old. 

His  work  on  the  Aged  Poor  Commission  became  more 
absorbing  than  ever  towards  the  close  of  1894.  The 
history  of  that  Commission  is  already  well  known.  Its 
purpose  was  to  devise  if  possible  some  means  by  which 
the  dream  of  Old  Age  Pensions  for  all  who  stood  in 
need  of  them  could  be  realised.  The  Prince  of  Wales 
occupied  a  seat  on  the  Commission,  and  attended  its 
meetings  with  great  regularity.  It  was  a  powerful  body, 
containing  the  representatives  of  different  schools  of 
thought.  Its  President  was  Lord  Aberdare,  between 
whom  and  Playfair  a  warm  feeling  of  friendship  and 
mutual  confidence  had  been  maintained  for  many  years. 
Mr  Chamberlain  and  the  late  Dr  Hunter,  one  of  the 
members  for  Aberdeen,  were  also  members  of  the  Com- 
mission. It  gathered  a  vast  amount  of  useful  information 
with  regard  to  the  condition  of  the  aged  poor,  and  to 
the  proposals  of  different  kinds  which  had  been  made 
for  the  provision  of  some  system  of  Old  Age  Pensions. 
But  when  the  time  came  for  the  consideration  of  the 
Report,  serious  differences  of  opinion  were  found  to  exist 
among  the  members,  and  it  became  apparent  to  Lord 
Aberdare,  who  was  then  in  failing  health,  that  he  was 
being  thwarted  by  some  of  the  younger  men,  who  looked 
upon  the  whole  question  from  a  political  rather  than  an 
economic  point  of  view.  Lord  Aberdare  was  in  constant 
communication  with  Playfair  during  the  anxious  months 
when  the  Commissioners  were  engaged  in  a  fierce 
struggle  over  the  terms  of  their  Report ;  and  when 
increasing  illness  compelled  him  to  retire  from  his  duties 
as  Chairman,  it  was  Playfair  who  took  his  place,  and 
carried  on  the  work  to  its  conclusion. 


398  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Duffryn,  Mountain  Ash, 
Lord  Aberdare  to  Play  fair.       South  Wales,  October  31st,  1894. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  am  very  sorry  to  hear  of 
your  anxiety  for  Mr  Russell,  and  your  inevitable  detention 
at  Boston.  Brown  will  have  told  you  of  my  corre- 
spondence with  Chamberlain,  and  of  the  lines  I  have 
taken.  ...  I  am  certainly  better — physically  as  well 
as  any  reasonable  octogenarian  could  desire — but  I  find 
my  head  incapable  of  continuous  close  attention  for  even 
a  short  hour,  and  therefore  avoid  all  my  usual  public 
work — college,  university,  etc. — and  am  rapidly  arriving 
at  the  conclusion  that  at  this  present  rate  of  progress,  I 
have  no  chance  of  being  able  effectually  now,  without 
injury  probably  permanent,  to  perform  the  duties  of  the 
chair.  For  these  I,  and  I  believe  the  Commissioners 
generally,  look  to  you,  and  I  hope  that  no  official  duties 
will  stand  between  you  and  them.     .     .     . 

Ever  sincerely  yours, 

Aberdare. 

Same  to  the  Same.  December  6th,  1894. 

My  dear  Playfair, — Your  letter  has  greatly  relieved 
me,  for  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  my  presence  on 
the  nth  would  be  rather  embarrassing  than  helpful,  and 
anything  but  agreeable  to  myself.  I  shall  depend  upon 
you  for  making  the  necessary  explanations.  I  know  by 
certain  tests  I  have  applied  that  I  cannot  give  that 
amount  of  close,  continuous  attention  to  the  discussions 
on  the  Report  which  are  expected  from  the  Chairman. 
If  it  were  merely  a  question  of  peril  to  my  health,  I 
might  venture,  but  I  am  convinced  that  after  the  lapse 
of  a  year  I  should  prove  myself  unequal  to  the  task. 
Nor  have  I  any  ground  for  supposing  that  I  should  be 
substantially  fitter  in  February  next.  ...  As  for  the 
chairmanship,  I  am  convinced  that  you  are  not  only 
the  best  man,  but  the  only  one.  I  earnestly  hope  that 
you  may  succeed  in  persuading  the  majority  to  meet  on 
the  1 5th  January  for  the  purpose  of  finishing  the  Report. 


"  BARON   PLAYFAIR   OF   ST.   ANDREWS.  399 

I  anticipate  some  difficulty  and  many   objections,   but   I 
hope  that  you  will  persist,  and  if  necessary  divide. 

Ever  sincerely  yours, 

Aberdare. 

Lord  Aberdare  did  not  long  survive  the  writing  of  the 
above  letter.  He  died  on  February  26th,  just  one  day 
before  the  Report  of  the  Royal  Commission  was  sub- 
mitted for  signature.  But  for  some  months  his  work 
had  been  discharged  by  Playfair,  upon  whom  had  rested 
the  burden  of  revising  the  Report.  A  very  heavy  burden 
it  was.  The  diverse  elements  of  which  the  Commission 
was  composed  were  not  to  be  reconciled  even  by  the 
most  adroit  and  conciliatory  of  presidents.  Playfair  did 
his  best,  and  strove  to  induce  Mr  Chamberlain  to  fall 
into  line  with  his  colleagues,  and  to  agree  to  a  Report 
upon  which  practical  action  might  have  been  taken  ;  but 
he  failed  to  do  so.  The  majority  Report,  for  which 
Playfair  was  mainly  responsible,  refused  to  recommend 
Mr  Chamberlain's  scheme  for  voluntary  assisted  insurance. 
It  reported  strongly  in  favour  of  an  extension  of  outdoor 
relief,  and  the  improvement  of  workhouse  accommodation. 
It  declined  to  recommend  any  of  the  schemes  which 
had  been  submitted  to  it  for  giving  State  assistance  to 
the  aged  poor.  A  memorandum,  drawn  up  by  Playfair 
himself,  appeared  at  the  end  of  the  Report  of  the  Royal 
Commission.  It  was  a  succinct  summary  of  the  history 
of  that  body.  "  The  Commission  began  their  work  in 
February,  1893,  under  the  presidency  of  Lord  Aberdare, 
who  was  in  the  chair  during  the  examination  of  nearly 
all  the  witnesses.  He  drafted  the  Report,  and  presided 
at  the  meetings  at  which  it  was  discussed  until  the 
adjournment  at  the  end  of  July,  1894.  The  Commission 
re-assembled  on  the  nth  December,  1894,  but  the  state 
of   Lord   Aberdare's   health    prevented    him    from    being 


400  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

present  at  that  or  subsequent  meetings,  although  he  con- 
tinued to  take  a  deep  interest  in  the  progress  of  their 
work  to  within  a  few  days  of  his  death.  At  the  meeting 
on  the  nth  December,  1894,  I  was  unanimously  elected 
to  act  as  chairman  during  Lord  Aberdare's  inability  to 
attend.  Some  of  the  Commission,  present  and  absent, 
desired  that  further  proceedings  should  be  deferred  until 
the  opening  of  Parliament,  while  others  were  in  favour 
of  an  earlier  resumption  of  the  deliberations,  which  had 
already  been  greatly  protracted.  By  way  of  compromise, 
it  was  agreed,  with  the  practical  unanimity  of  those 
present,  that  meetings  should  be  resumed  on  the  29th 
January,  1895." 

The  actual  summary  in  which  the  conclusions  of  the 
Report  were  iembodied,  was  written  by  Playfair,  and  sub- 
mitted to  Lord  Aberdare,  who  saw  and  approved  it  a  few 
days  before  his  death.  Mr  Chamberlain  and  some  other 
members  of  the  Commission  signed  an  independent  report, 
describing  the  recommendations  of  the  chief  report  as 
"  inadequate."  The  solution  of  the  problem  of  our  aged 
poor  was  not  reached  during  Playfair' s  lifetime — has  not, 
indeed,  been  arrived  at  to  the  present  hour  ;  but  the  work 
of  the  Royal  Commission  which  reported  in  1895  will 
always  remain  on  record,  because  of  the  thoroughness  with 
which  it  investigated  the  great  question  with  which  it  had 
to  deal,  and  of  the  frankness  and  courage  with  which  Lord 
Aberdare  and  Lord  Playfair  vindicated  those  doctrines  of 
political  economy  upon  which  the  wealth  of  nations 
depends.  This  Royal  Commission  was,  of  course,  only  one 
of  many  in  which  Playfair  took  part  during  his  public  career. 
If  it  achieved  no  practical  result,  it  was  not  on  that  account 
a  less  laborious  piece  of  work  in  the  service  of  his  country. 

On  the  Queen's  birthday,  in  1895,  Playfair  was  the  re- 
cipient of  an  honour  which  came  to  him  most  unexpectedly, 


"  BARON   PLAYFAIR   OF   ST.   ANDREWS.  4OI 

and  which  he  valued  all  the  more  highly  because  it  was  the 
spontaneous  and  unsolicited  recognition  not  only  of  his  life- 
long services  to  the  country,  but  of  the  work  which  he  had 
been  doing  in  the  public  service  since  his  accession  to  the 
Peerage.  The  announcement  that  he  was  to  receive  the 
honour  of  the  Grand  Cross  of  the  Bath  was  conveyed  to 
him  in  the  following  letter  from  the  Prime  Minister  : — 


io,  Downing  Street,  Whitehall, 
The  Earl  of  Rosebery  to  Play/air.  May  12th,  1895. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  propose  on  the  occasion  of 
the  Queen's  birthday  to  recommend  you  for  the  honour 
of  the  G.C.B.  I  have  no  time  to  explain  why  I  do  this, 
because  the  record  of  your  single-minded  services  to  the 
public  is  too  long  for  a  letter.  I  will  only  say  that  you 
have  never  been  deaf  to  the  call  of  duty,  however  arduous, 
or  fallen  short  of  its  requirements.  That  is  a  great  thing 
to  say,  and  of  few  can  it  be  said.  I  must  add,  however, 
the  expression  of  my  personal  gratitude  for  the  valuable 
work  that  you  are  doing  for  the  present  Government  in 
the  House  of  Lords. 

Believe  me, 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

Rosebery. 

No  recognition  of  his  work  could  possibly  have  been 
more  gratifying  to  Playfair  than  this  cordial  acknowledg- 
ment, by  a  statesman  for  whom  he  entertained  a  warm 
admiration,  of  the  value  of  his  services  to  his  country. 

The  Liberal  Ministry  resigned  on  its  defeat  in  the  House 
of  Commons  in  the  following  June,  and  Playfair  of  course 
ceased  to  hold  the  office  of  Lord-in-Waiting. 

Before  leaving  for  his  annual  visit  to  the  United  States, 
Playfair  went  to  Osborne  to  be  invested  with  the  insignia 
of  his  new  honour.    It  had  been  discovered  by  the  Heralds' 

A   A 


402  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

College  that  a  curious  mistake  had  been  made  with  regard 
to  his  previous  promotion  to  the  Knight  Commandership 
of  the  Bath,  which  the  following  letter  explains  : — 

Play/air  to  his  Daughter  {the  Hon.  Mrs  R.  M.  Stewart). 

Onslow  Gardens,  August  6th,  1895. 

Many  thanks  for  your  letter  of  affectionate  farewell.  I 
hope  that  you  and  Stewart  will  have  a  very  pleasant 
autumn,  and  that  all  will  go  well  with  you  in  our  absence. 
My  visit  to  Osborne  on  Friday  was  very  pleasant.  You 
will  have  seen  that  I  was  knighted,  as  it  appears  that  I 
was  never  legally  "  Sir  Lyon."  When  made  K.C.B.  in 
1885,  the  Queen  thought  I  would  like  to  wear  the  decora- 
tion on  her  birthday  a  few  days  after  being  gazetted,  and 
so  under  the  sign-manual  had  given  me  a  dispensation  from 
knighthood  "  until  such  time  as  Her  Majesty  can  con- 
veniently confer  it."  This  I  had  not  observed,  and  so 
I  was  never  knighted.  This  was  discovered  by  the 
Heralds'  College,  and  accordingly  I  had  to  get  the  accolade 
as  well  as  the  G.C.B.  The  official  termination  of  my 
position  as  Lord-in-Waiting  has  ended  very  graciously. 
The  Queen  sent  to  me  an  engraved  portrait  of  herself, 
and  desired  me  to  send  for  her  album  a  cabinet  portrait 
of  myself.     .     .     .     With  much  love  to  you  both, 

Yours  lovingly, 

Playfair. 

In  the  autumn  of  1895,  when  paying  his  usual  visit  to 
Boston,  Playfair  took  the  opportunity  of  making,  with 
his  wife,  a  short  tour  in  Canada.  His  reception  in  the 
Dominion  was  more  cordial  than  ever. 

135,  Beacon  Street,  Boston, 

Play/air  to  his  Son.  October  isth,  1895. 

We  have  come  back  from  Canada,  where  our  trip  was 
very  successful.  The  hospitality  of  the  Canadians  is  un- 
bounded, and  we   might   have   lunched   and   dined  three 


"BARON  PLAYFAIR   OF  ST.   ANDREWS."  403 

times  at  least  daily.  A  beautiful  banquet  was  given  to  me 
by  the  bankers,  or  rather  by  the  president  of  one  bank,  to 
enable  me  to  meet  the  other  bankers  of  Montreal.  At 
Quebec,  which  Edith  had  never  seen,  the  same  hospitality 
was  shown  us — rather  more  of  it,  because  the  British 
Ambassador  to  the  United  States,  Sir  Julian  Pauncefote, 
came  there  after  us,  and  we  joined  forces,  and  did  every- 
thing together.  The  artillery  gave  His  Excellency  a 
parade  in  the  Citadel,  and  we  dined  at  the  mess  in  the 
evening.  Since  I  was  there  last  a  splendid  hotel  has  been 
built  on  the  platform,  with  a  glorious  view.  Our  sitting- 
room  was  in  the  turret,  and  had  thirteen  windows,  so  we 
commanded  every  side.  The  owners  of  Montmorency 
Falls  asked  us  to  an  afternoon  party,  and  the  glorious 
Falls,  twice  the  height  of  Niagara,  though  much  less  in 
volume,  were  under  our  windows.  The  President  of  the 
Union  Pacific  sent  his  car  to  the  Ambassador,  so  we 
returned  in  delightful  comfort,  with  an  excellent  cook  and 
good  wines.  In  ten  days  we  leave  Boston,  and  on  the 
30th  sail  in  the  Majestic. 

During  his  visit  to  Canada,  in  a  conversation  with  a 
newspaper  reporter  at  Montreal  in  October,  1895,  he 
delivered  himself  of  some  of  those  sentiments  with  regard 
to  imperial  affairs,  and  the  union  of  Great  Britain  and  her 
colonies,  which  he  had  always  held.  Referring  to  the 
complications  which  existed  at  that  time  in  Eastern 
Europe,  and  the  menacing  position  of  Russia,  he  said  to 
his  interlocutor  : — 

"  I  do  not  think  European  peace  will  be  disturbed  at  present  through 
these  complications  ;  but,  at  any  rate,  as  far  as  England  is  concerned 
you  may  have  noticed  that  in  some  way,  whatever  the  difficulty, 
England  has  come  out  all  right  in  the  end."  His  lordship  will  not 
allow  that  the  Liberal  party  is  disheartened.  "  We  are  as  reso- 
lute as  ever,  though  we  do  not  see  the  possibility  of  getting  back 
to  power  for  another  five  or  six  years.  The  majority  against  us 
s  overwhelming,  but  this  is  not  because  the  people  are  against 
Liberal  principles,  but  because  we  went  to  the  country  with  too 
many  questions.  We  should  have  had  one  or  two  well-defined 
measures,    which    we     should    have     offered  to    the   people,    who, 


404  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

on  the  contrary,  were  mystified  by  a  long  and  indefinite  programme. 
We  had  Local  Option,  Disestablishment,  Home  Rule,  Registra- 
tion, and  other  matters,  which  bred  confusion  and  uncertainty 
in  the  mind.  We  needed  definiteness,  and,  not  having  it,  we 
lost."  .  .  .  To  the  suggestion  that  the  Liberal  party  has  been 
accused  of  lukewarmness  towards  the  Colonies,  whereas  it  was 
the  policy  of  the  Conservatives  to  bind  them  closer  to  the  Mother 
country,  his  lordship  said  that  it  was  to  be  remembered  that 
Lord  Rosebery  was  the  chairman  of  the  Imperial  Federation  League, 
whose  object  was  to  unite  the  whole  Empire  in  closer  bonds.  "  I 
myself  was  an  active  member  of  the  Society,  which  unfortunately 
has  been  disbanded,  but  I  can  assure  you  that  there  is  a  strong  feel- 
ing in  favour  of  Imperial  Federation,  and  that  the  Society  did  good 
work  in  fostering  it.  We  do  indeed  desire  closer  relations,  though 
we  would  never  consent  to  bring  them  about  by  taxation  (as  was 
proposed  at  Ottawa  at  your  recent  conference)  of  foreign  produce, 
which  is  so  much  greater  than  all  our  trade  with  the  Colonies  at 
present.  That  would  be  disastrous  for  us,  and  no  Government 
would  think  of  entertaining  such  a  question.  The  Colonies  will 
grow,  and  our  trade  with  them  will  increase,  but  England  will  never 
go  back  to  Protection  principles,  even  for  the  purpose  of  making  a 
bond  between  the  scattered  members  of  her  family." 


CHAPTER    XV. 

PLAYFAIR   AND   THE    UNITED   STATES. 

Playfair's  Sojourns  at  Nahant — Almost  a  Citizen  of  the  United  States — 
.Letters  to  Lady  Playfair's  Family — The  Venezuelan  Crisis — Nego- 
tiating Peace — Correspondence  with  Mr  Chamberlain  and  Mr 
Bayard — Playfair's  Share  in  the  Settlement  of  the  Dispute. 

It  seems  desirable  to  say  something  about  what  ma}-  be 
fittingly  called  the  American  side  of  Playfair's  life,  and 
those  visits  to  the  United  States  which  occurred  so  re- 
gularly during  the  last  twenty  years  of  his  life.  His 
letters  to  his  American  friends  and  relatives  sufficiently 
prove  the  affectionate  intimacy  of  his  intercourse  with 
them  ;  but  they  do  not  convey  any  idea  to  the  reader 
of  the  importance  which  these  annual  visits  to  the 
United  States  assumed  in  Playfair's  life.  The  reader 
has  probably  noticed  that  after  his  marriage  with  Miss 
Russell  he  invariably  left  England  at  the  earliest  pos- 
sible moment  after  his  release  from  the  labours  of  the 
Parliamentary  Session,  and  spent  some  months  of  the 
recess  either  in  Boston  or  at  Nahant,  the  beautiful 
watering-place  which  is  so  well  known  to  all  visitors  to 
New  England.  His  father-in-law,  Mr  Russell,  had  a 
summer  residence  at  Nahant,  and  here  Playfair  spent 
many  weeks  almost  every  year  from  1879  onwards. 
The  climate  and  the  scenery  of  Nahant  were  both  to 
his  taste.  From  the  heights  of  the  little  peninsula  on 
which  the  village  stood,  the  visitor  looks  across  the 
Atlantic  upon  an  expanse  of  water .  that  stretches  from 
his    feet   to    the    shores   of  Spain.     Beautiful  walks  and 


406  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

drives  are  to  be  found  at  every  turn  ;  whilst  Nahant 
has  happily  remained  free  from  the  features  of  the 
fashionable  watering-place,  and  from  the  dissipations  of 
summer  resorts  better  known  to  the  outer  world.  It 
was  not,  however,  merely  the  beauty  and  quietude  of 
Nahant  that  constituted  its  charm  in  the  eyes  of 
Playfair.  The  society  of  the  place,  although  limited, 
was  of  no  ordinary  kind.  In  the  old  days  it  was  the 
summer  residence  of  Prescott,  the  historian ;  of  Long- 
fellow, Motley  and  Agassiz;  and  these  men  naturally 
drew  to  it  many  friends  of  distinction  from  all  parts 
of  the  United  States  as  well  as  from  Europe.  When 
Playfair  became  a  yearly  resident  in  his  father-in- 
law's  cottage,  some  of  the  eminent  men  I  have  named 
had  passed  away  ;  but  others,  not  less  eminent,  remained. 
Among  these  were  Longfellow  and  Wendell  Holmes,  and 
with  them  Playfair's  friendship  became  intimate.  It  was 
at  Nahant  that  Longfellow  had  written  some  of  his  finest 
poetry,  and  it  was  the  scenery  of  the  watering-place  that 
had  inspired  not  a  few  of  his  seaside  poems.  It  was  a 
delight  to  Playfair  to  be  able  to  enjoy  frequent  inter- 
course with  the  venerable  and  illustrious  poet.  Agassiz 
he  did  not  know,  as  death  had  removed  him  from  the 
scene  ;  but  the  widow  of  the  great  naturalist  survived, 
and  with  her  also  Playfair  was  on  terms  of  intimate 
friendship. 

It  was  characteristic  of  him  that  just  as  he  had  en- 
tered into  the  life  of  his  wife's  family  as  fully  and  frankly 
as  if  he  had  been  one  of  them  by  birth,  so,  during  his 
sojourn,  in  America,  he  became  almost  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States,  taking  the  keenest  interest  in  all  public 
affairs  affecting  the  Republic,  and  discussing  American 
politics  with  as  much  interest  and  intelligence  as  he 
brought  to  bear  upon  the  politics  of  his  own  land.  He 
was,  of  course,  specially  interested  in  the  public  schools 


PLAYFAIR    AND   THE    UNITED   STATES.  407 

and  charitable  institutions  of  the  United  States,  and  he 
never  paid  his  annual  visit  to  Boston  without  going  to 
see  some  school  or  public  charity  or  prison.  It  often 
happened  that  one  who  was  received  with  honour  as  a 
distinguished  public  man  from  the  Old  Country  was  called 
upon  to  take  some  public  part  in  his  visits  to  these  institu- 
tions, and  it  is  probable  that  he  never  went  to  America 
without  having  to  make  a  number  of  speeches  to  audiences 
varying  from  school-children  to  Ministers  and  statesmen. 
One  notable  incident  during  these  American  visits  has 
already  been  dealt  with.  That  was  the  occasion  when 
Playfair  took  part  in  a  remarkable  meeting  that  was  held 
at  Boston  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  a  deputation  from 
Great  Britain,  who  had  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  order  to 
appeal  to  the  President  and  people  of  the  United  States 
in  favour  of  a  Treaty  of  Arbitration.  At  this  meeting 
Playfair  was  introduced  to  the  audience  as  one  who  had 
more  reasons  than  some  to  love  Boston,  for  his  wife  was  a 
Bostonian,  and  the  daughter  of  an  honoured  citizen  who 
was  present  on  the  platform.  He  spoke  with  his  accus- 
tomed plainness  and  clearness  upon  the  subject  that  the 
meeting  had  been  called  to  consider,  concluding  his  speech 
with  these  words  : — 

"  Let  us  look  at  the  peculiarities  of  John  Bull  and  Brother 
Jonathan,  and  see  if  there  is  anything  to  prevent  the  proposed 
treaty.  John  Bull  is  a  man  full  of  honest  purpose,  but  he  was 
born  on  an  island  and  is  steeped  in  insular  prejudices.  He  has 
a  sincere  conviction  that  he  is  always  right  and  that  everybody 
else  is  always  wrong.  Brother  Jonathan  has  the  greatest  intoler- 
ance of  discussion,  and  there  is  underneath  this  intolerance  a 
spirit  of  sweet  reasonableness.  Now,  why  should  not  this  honest 
purpose  of  John  Bull  and  this  sweet  reasonableness  of  Brother 
Jonathan  work  in  harmony,  and  form  a  union  which  would  exer- 
cise a  power  for  good  which  would  be  felt  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  world  ?  " 

This  homely  appeal  was  made  long  before  Lord  Salis- 
bury attempted  to  frame   in   concert  with  the  American 


408  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Government  a  Treaty  of  Arbitration,  and  it  represents  one 
of  the  strongest  sentiments  in  Playfair's  heart  during  the 
last  years  of  his  life. 

He  had  long  been  an  advocate  of  a  system  of  arbi- 
tration for  the  settlement  of  international  disputes.  In 
this  year,  1887,  as  he  has  told  us  in  his  Reminiscences, 
he  took  part  in  the  movement  which  was  started  by  the 
friends  of  peace  in  Great  Britain  in  favour  of  the  establish- 
ment of  arbitration  between  England  and  the  United 
States.  He  visited  Washington  as  a  member  of  the 
English  deputation,  and  was  there  received  by  the 
President.  His  speech  to  the  President  (Mr  Cleveland) 
has  been  given  on  an  earlier  page.  In  replying  to  it, 
the  President  spoke  in  conciliatory  and  friendly  terms. 
He  gave  no  hint  of  that  future  when  the  relations  of 
England  with  the  United  States  became  so  strained 
that  war  between  the  two  countries  seemed  to  be 
imminent  ;  and  Playfair  himself,  when  he  addressed 
President  Cleveland,  can  have  had  no  inkling  of  the  fact 
that  a  few  years  later  he  was  to  be  engaged  in  devising, 
not  a  general  scheme  of  arbitration,  but  arbitration  upon 
a  particular  and  specific  question,  in  order  to  save  the 
world  from  the  calamity  of  a  fratricidal  struggle  between 
the  two  great  branches  of  the  English-speaking  race.  His 
interest  in  this  question  of  arbitration  never  failed,  and 
in  1890,  under  the  title  of  "A  Topic  for  Christmas,"  he 
contributed  to  the  '  North  American  Review '  an  essay 
in  which  he  set  forth  the  whole  case  in  favour  of  a  treaty 
of  arbitration,  and  appealed  to  the  people  of  the  United 
States  to  come  forward  as  the  champions  of  that  method 
of  settling  the  disputes  of  nations.  How  strongly  he  felt 
upon  the  subject  may  be  gathered  from  the  closing  passage 
of  his  contribution  to  the  '  North  American  Review '  : — 

"  While  Continental  countries  in  Europe  groan  under  these 
burdens,    it  is  the   privilege  and  duty  of   English-speaking  people 


PLAYFAIR   AND   THE    UNITED   STATES.  409 

to  preach  and  to  practise  the  doctrine  of  peace.  Every  Sunday 
morning  the  prayer  arises  in  England — '  Give  peace  in  our  time, 
0  Lord.'  This  prayer  is  national,  but  it  is  followed  by  another — 
catholic  and  unique,  applying  to  all  nations,  that  they  may  have 
'  unity,  peace,  and  concord.'  A  few  hours  after  these  prayers  have 
been  made  in  the  churches  of  England,  they  are  repeated  in  those  of 
the  United  States,  and  pass  with  the  rising  light  till  they  girdle 
the  whole  world.  The  realisation  of  these  prayers  is  within  the 
power  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race.  They  are  animated  by  the  spirit 
of  love,  liberty,  and  order,  which  has  already  done  so  much  to 
ameliorate  humanity ;  and  in  the  triumph  of  their  mission  will 
there  be  the  maintenance  of  peace  between  nations." 

But  whilst  his  visits  to  the  States  were  thus  associated 
to  some  extent  with  public  purposes,  and  whilst  they 
undoubtedly  gave  Playfair,  as  a  member  of  the  House 
of  Commons,  an  almost  unique  position,  owing  to  the 
extent  and  thoroughness  of  the  knowledge  which  he  had 
acquired  of  American  party  politics,  his  chief  desire  in  his 
yearly  visits  to  Boston  and  Nahant  was  to  enjoy  himself 
in  the  midst  of  a  family  life  which  seemed  to  be  peculiarly 
suited  to  his  own  temperament.  I  have  had  occasion 
already  to  speak  of  his  relations  with  Mr  and  Mrs  Russell, 
the  father  and  mother  of  his  wife.  I  now  bring  together 
a  few  letters  which  not  only  illustrate,  more  fully  than 
any  comments  of  mine  could,  the  character  of  his  friend- 
ship with  them,  but  which  have  an  interest  of  their  own. 

South  Kensington, 
Play/air  to  S.  H.  Russell,  Esq.  January  yd,  1887. 

You  will  see  that  the  Government  has  been  in  a  political 
crisis,  which  I  am  glad  to  say  lias  not  broken  it  up,  as 
we  were  not  ready  to  take  advantage  of  it,  and  did  not 
want  another  dissolution.  Goschen  has  been  the  cement 
to  fill  the  crack,  but  it  will  not  much  longer  hold  together. 
Still  it  may  last  through  this  Session,  but  it  may  not.  I 
am  very  busy  just  now  helping  to  start  the  Imperial 
Institute,  which  is  to  be  the  offering  of  love  and  loyalty 
to  the  Queen  on  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  her  reign.     All 


410  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

the  Lord-Lieutenants  and  Mayors  meet  at  St.  James's 
Palace  on  the  12th.  It  depends  a  good  deal  upon  the 
Prince's  speech  at  that  meeting  whether  it  will  start  well. 
He  is  a  good  speaker,  and  I  am  sure  will  distinguish  himself 
on  that  occasion.  At  present  we  have  only  .£10,000 
out  of  £500,000.  Every  district  wishes  its  own  little 
testimonial,  so  it  is  difficult  to  get  money  for  a  great 
object.  The  latest  proposal  is  to  make  the  great  Jubilee 
offering  a  gold  cup  for  the  best  Cheddar  cheese  !  That 
manuscript  [his  Reminiscences],  which  I  was  engaged  in 
writing  at  Nahant,  has  now  got  to  the  year  1878 — a  year 
very  dear  to  me,  and  one  for  which  I  am  grateful  every 
day  of  my  life. 

Windsor  Hotel,  New  York, 

Play  fair  to  Mr  and  Mrs  Russell.  October  28th,  1890. 

(On  leaving  America  after  his  annual  visit.) 

My  dearest  Pater  et  Mater, — If  a  million  mi- 
crobes can  inhabit  with  comfort  and  liveliness  the  point 
of  a  needle,  why  is  it  necessary  that  the  great  Atlantic 
should  divide  people  who  wish  to  live  together  ?  Our 
heart  is  sad  because  of  this  need  of  our  existence,  but 
we  have  so  many  things  to  be  grateful  for  that  there 
should  be  no  room  for  sadness.  Mater's  guests  have 
departed,  but  she  will  soon  forget  her  cares  in  love  for 
the  absent  child  and  son-in-law,  who  she  knows  fully 
appreciated  all  her  love  and  tenderness.  Pater  will  have 
no  one  to  instruct  with  his  wide  and  great  knowledge 
of  history.  And  so  it  is  all  over  for  a  few  months,  and 
bright  memories  remain  for  us  of  all  your  love  and 
goodness  to  us,  and  I  hope  pleasant  memories  to  you 
of  those  who  have  left. 

Sandringham,  Norfolk, 

Play  fair  to  Mrs  Russell.  November  2yd,  1890. 

You  will  see  by  the  above  address  where  I  am,  though 
Edith  unfortunately  could  not  accompany  me.  Our  party 
is  not  very  large — the  Danish  Minister  and  Madame  de 
Bille,  Lord  Herschell,  Archdeacon  Farrar,    Sir   Frederick 


PLAYFAIR   AND   THE    UNITED   STATES.  411 

Leighton  (the  President  of  the  Royal  Academy),  Sir  F. 
Abel,  and  myself.  The  two  young  Princes  are  on  their 
travels,  so  only  the  Princesses  Victoria  and  Maud  are  here. 
Archdeacon  Farrar  gave  us  a  most  interesting  sermon, 
abounding  in  illustration.  He  brought  in  quotations  from 
Goethe,  and  Rabelais  even,  with  a  good  deal  of  science 
to  show  that  little  things  make  up  a  man's  life,  and  that 
these,  being  done  properly,  constitute  human  happiness. 

South  Kensington, 
Play/air  to  S.  H.  Russell,  Esq.  January  26th,  1891. 

I  have  just  finished  an  article  on  American  finance, 
which  will  appear  in  '  The  New  Review '  for  February. 
It  is  entitled  'The  Demas  Invitation  to  substitute  Gold 
for  Silver  in  the  United  States.'  If  you  wish  to  be  re- 
minded who  Mr  Demas  was,  look  up  your  '  Pilgrim's 
Progress,'  and  you  will  find  Christian's  last  temptation 
before  entering  the  Golden  City  was  by  Demas  tempting 
him  to  abandon  the  Gold  and  join  "  the  Silver  Fraternity." 
It  is  a  capital  skit  on  the  bi-metallic  views  which  Bunyan 
must  have  known  in  his  time.  I  have  made  it  the 
apologue  of  my  article.  You  are  sure  to  have  the 
1  Review '  in  your  Club,  but  in  any  case  I  will  send  you 
a  copy. 

Same  to  the  same.  July  19th,  1892. 

It  is  still  possible  we  may  sail  on  the  ioth  August.  I 
must  stay  to  vote  my  want  of  confidence  in  the  present 
Government  in  any  case,  but  that  should  be  determined 
by,  say,  the  8th.  Lord  Salisbury  sticks  to  office  till 
Parliament  meets,  which  is  not  till  the  4th.  Three  days 
will  be  required  for  swearing  in  and  electing  a  Speaker ; 
and  after  that,  two  days,  the  8th  and  9th,  will  be  required 
for  the  vote.  It  is  doubtful  whether  we  can  catch  the 
steamer  on  the  ioth,  and  we  prefer  to  sail  by  the  large 
steamers,  either  the  Majestic  or  the  Teutonic.  So  it 
may,  and  probably  would,  be  the  24th  before  we  could 
sail.  The  Radicals  think  me  too  moderate,  and  do  not 
wish  me  in  the  Government. 


412  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

South  Kensington, 
Play/air  to  Mr  and  Mrs  Russell.  February  ist,  1893. 

Edith  was  at  the  ceremony  in  the  House  of  Lords 
yesterday,  and  for  the  first  time  took  her  seat  in  the 
Peeresses'  Gallery.  The  House  of  Lords  was  en  grande 
tenue  for  the  occasion,  the  ceremonial  entrance  for  Peers 
being  opened,  and  servants  in  scarlet  being  in  attendance. 
I  suppose  this  was  done  in  honour  of  the  unusual  number 
of  Peers  introduced.  The  Lord  High  Chamberlain,  the 
Earl  Marshal  (Duke  of  Norfolk),  the  Garter  King  at  Arms 
(Sir  A.  Woods),  and  the  Black  Rod  (Admiral  Drummond), 
dressed  in  their  gorgeous  costumes,  conducted  each  peer  in 
succession  through  the  queer  ancient  ceremonial  of  which 
we  send  you  a  programme.  I  was  seventh  in  the  list, 
and  each  presentation  took  ten  minutes.  The  procession 
consisted  of  seven  : — 

1 — Black  Rod,  in  black  clothes  ;  2 — The  Earl  Marshal,  Duke  of 
Norfolk;  3 — Lord  Ancaster,  Hereditary  Lord  High  Chamberlain; 
4 — Garter  King  at  Arms  ;  5,  6  and  7 — Lord  Brassey,  Lyon,  Lord 
Monkswell,  in  Baron's  robes. 

Garter  wore  a  crimson  velvet  robe,  embroidered  all  over, 
both  before  and  behind,  with  golden  lions.  The  Duke  of 
Norfolk's  scarlet  robes  were  like  a  priest's — much  embroi- 
dered. The  Lord  High  Chamberlain  was  in  the  robes  of 
an  earl — scarlet,  with  deeper  ermine  than  the  baron's.  They 
filed  up  in  Indian  file  to  the  Lord  Chancellor,  where  Garter 
gave  me  my  Patent :  a  large  roll  of  parchment,  illumi- 
nated on  the  margin  with  arms,  thistles,  etc.  This  is  the 
Warrant  for  future  generations.  This  patent  I,  kneeling, 
handed  to  the  Lord  Chancellor,  who  gave  it  to  the  senior 
clerk,  who  read  it  aloud  at  the  table,  the  peers  in  the 
procession  standing  round.  Then  I  handed  the  writ  of 
summons  to  the  House,  which  was  also  read.  Then,  after 
taking  the  oath  of  fealty  to  the  Queen,  I  signed  the  roll. 
Again  the  procession  forms,  and  files  down  the  spiritual 
side  of  the  House,  and  the  peer,  with  his  supporters,  was 
taken  to  the  upper  bench,  where  Brassey,  Monkswell, 
and  I  sat  down,  putting  on  our  cocked   hats,  and  rising 


PLAYFAIR  AND   THE   UNITED   STATES.  413 

and  bowing  solemnly  three  times  to  the  Lord  Chancellor. 
Then  the  procession  was  re-formed,  and  filed  out  of 
the  House. 

South  Kensington, 

Play  fair  to  Mrs  Russell.  February  26th,  1893. 

I  am  exceedingly  busy  with  work,  but  it  seems  to  suit 
me.  Two  Royal  Commissions,  one  on  a  university  for 
London,  and  the  other  on  the  Poor  Law,  occupy  me  four 
days  in  the  week.  With  my  companies  also  these  engage- 
ments occupy  all  my  days  till  dinner  time.  The  House  of 
Lords  is  not  exacting,  for  it  occupies  generally  only  one 
and  a  half  hours.  Later,  it  will  give  me  some  work,  as  I 
represent  three  Government  departments — the  Board  of 
Trade,  the  Post  Office,  and  Scotland — and  have  to  answer 
all  questions  relating  to  these,  and  carry  through  their  Bills. 
At  the  Commission  on  the  Aged  Poor  the  Prince  of  Wales 
attends,  and  we  often  have  luncheon  together. 

Mynde  Park,  Hereford, 

Play/air  to  S.  H.  Russell,  Esq.  M«y  22nd,  1893. 

I  suppose  that  Edith  has  told  you  all  about  this  beautiful 
place,  so  I  will  go  back  to  my  visit  to  Windsor.  I  arrived 
at  the  Castle  just  in  time  to  get  fifteen  minutes  for  my 
dressing,  but  with  a  capital  valet  I  managed  to  get  into  the 
Windsor  uniform — dark  blue  coat  with  red  collar  and 
red  cuffs,  trousers  buttoning  close  at  the  ankles,  stockings 
and  pumps.  My  decorations  required  most  time  to  put 
on.  Then  I  went  into  the  long  State  corridor,  where  the 
rest  of  the  party,  except  the  Royalties,  were  assembled. 
:  took  the  Lord-in-Waiting's  place  (who  dined  with  the 
Maids-of-Honour).  There  were  only  eight  or  ten  at 
table.  After  dinner  we  again  went  to  the  long  corridor, 
where  the  Queen  sent  for  her  guests  in  rotation.  I 
enjoyed  a  talk  with  her  about  old  times,  and  her  im- 
pressions at  the  late  ceremonial  of  opening  the  Institute. 
After  about  half  an  hour  the  Queen  left  with  the  Princess 
Beatrice,  and  I  had  a  long  talk  with  the  Princess's  husband, 
after  which  I  joined  the  ladies  of  the  Household  in  their 
drawing-room,  and  had  a  pleasant  time  till  1 1  o'clock. 


414  MEMOIRS  OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

South  Kensington, 
Play  fair  to  Mrs  Russell.  May  i3'A.  1895. 

My  dear  Mater, — In  your  country  honours  are 
difficult  to  understand,  and  therefore  you  may  be  puzzled 
to  know  how  I  became  C.B.,  then  K.C.B.,  and  now,  on 
the  Queen's  birthday,  become  G.C.B.,  or  Grand  Cross  of  the 
Bath.  Instead  of  wearing  the  riband  round  my  neck,  it 
goes  across  the  body ;  and  where  the  riband  used  to  be, 
a  collar  of  gold  and  enamel  is  substituted  on  "  collar 
days."  Dear  Mr  Russell,  had  he  been  alive,  would  have 
been  much  gratified.  .  .  You  will,  when  you  receive 
this,  be  in  Nahant ;  and  though  your  return  will  be  full 
of  sadness,  I  hope  the  change  will  do  you  very  much 
good.  You  can  associate  every  rose  and  flower  with  him 
whom  you  loved  so  well.1 

In  many  ways,  the  most  important  and  interesting 
feature  of  Playfair's  connection  with  the  United  States 
was  the  part  he  played  at  a  time  when  President  Cleve- 
land's actions  with  regard  to  Venezuela  brought  the  two 
countries  into  a  state  of  dangerous  antagonism.  When 
the  storm  of  passion  aroused  by  President  Cleveland's 
message  swept  over  the  surface  of  the  United  States,  no 
one  in  this  country  was  filled  with  deeper  anxiety  as  to  the 
ultimate  issue  of  the  dispute  which  had  been  raised  so 
gratuitously  than  Playfair.  The  warmth  of  his  friendship 
with  many  eminent  Americans,  and  his  sympathetic  in- 
terest in  the  political  development  of  the  United  States, 
gave  a  peculiar  poignancy  to  the  grief  with  which  he  saw 
the  outburst  of  a  hostile  feeling  on  the  part  of  the  Americans 
towards  his  native  land,  the  existence  of  which  had  hardly 
been  suspected.  His  view  of  the  action  of  President  Cleve- 
land was  that  of  most  Englishmen,  but  his  whole  desire 
was  for  peace,  and,  with  characteristic  courage  and  enthu- 
siasm, he  had  no  sooner  realised  the  fact  that  the  diplomacy 

1  Mr  Russell  had  died  during  Playfair's  visit  to  the  United  States  in  the 
previous  autumn. 


PLAYFAIR   AND   THE   UNITED    STATES.  415 

of  the  two  countries  had  fallen  into  a  state  of  deadlock 
than  he  set  about  to  devise  some  means  by  which  the 
difficult  knot  might  be  disentangled.  Immediately  after 
Mr  Cleveland's  message  he  received  many  communica- 
tions from  his  friends  in  the  United  States  discussing  the 
position  of  affairs,  pointing  out  its  gravity,  and  imploring 
him  to  take  some  action  in  the  interests  of  international 
peace.  One  eminent  American  wrote  to  him  as  follows, 
on  Christmas  Eve,  1895  : — 

"  We   are   young — England   is   old,   and   as   the  young 
feel  a  veneration  for  those  who  are  older,  so  we  have  a 
feeling  of  regard  for  England  that  is  ill-concealed  by  our 
often-assumed  tone  of  perfect  equality.     The  term  '  mother 
country '  not  only  means  a  great  deal,  but  it  carries  with 
it  an  influence  which  begets  filial  feeling.     And  notwith- 
standing  all   this,   the   people  of  the   United   States   are 
roused,  and  in  mood   for   war,   because   they   look   upon 
the  action  of  Great  Britain  as  a  menace  to  our  integrity 
and  to  our  institutions.     I  have  never  known  the  people, 
North  and  South,  so  united  and  so  much  in  earnest :  so 
ready   to    suffer   any    consequences    rather    than    permit 
unjust   aggression    against    a  sister  republic.      They   will 
await  the  result  of  the  investigation  by  the  Commission 
appointed  by  the  President,  and  if  that  result  unfavour- 
ably to  the  claims  of  Lord   Salisbury,  I  fear  the  worst. 
This  is  the   reason   I    write.      I   cannot  persuade  myself 
that  the  English  can  meditate  injustice.     It  is  necessary 
that   our  people   should  be   made  to  see  this,  that  they 
may  touch  and  feel  it,  that  they  may  recognise  on  the 
part   of  England  a  delicacy  with  regard  to  the  rights  of 
Venezuela  which  would  cause  her  to  recede  the  moment 
she  sees  she  is  wrong.     We  hoped  to  have  this  come  about 
through  arbitration.     That  hope  has  deceived  us,  and  the 
concert  of  accord  with  England  on  the  part  of  the  Con- 
tinental Press  makes  it  doubtful  in    the  minds  of  many 
whether    any    Government    in    Europe    would   act    with 
impartiality   in   the   matter.     Calmness,   justice,   and,    as 


41 6  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Mr  Gladstone  says,  common-sense,  must  preside  over  the 
decision  of  this  disputed  question,  and  it  must  be  made 
clear  that  there  is  nothing  in  the  whole  matter  which 
threatens  the  integrity  of  Venezuela  ;  and  indirectly  (as 
we  understand  it)  the  integrity  of  the  United  States." 

Partial  and  inadequate  as  this  expression  of  the  American 
point  of  view  may  be,  it  deserves  to  be  noted  because 
of  the  extent  to  which  it  prevailed  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Atlantic.  Playfair,  who  did  not  forget  that  the 
dignity  and  the  integrity  of  Great  Britain  had  just  as 
good  a  right  to  be  respected  as  those  of  Venezuela  or 
the  United  States,  clearly  realised  that  President  Cleve- 
land's action  in  abstaining  from  any  reply  to  Lord  Salis- 
bury's despatches,  and  in  nominating  a  Commission  to 
deal  with  a  question  in  which  the  sovereign  rights  of 
England  were  concerned,  made  straight  for  war.  For 
the  moment  the  appointment  of  the  Commission  delayed 
the  catastrophe.  But  unless  some  steps  were  taken  to 
extricate  the  two  great  nations  involved  from  the  pre- 
dicament created  by  Mr  Cleveland's  undiplomatic  diplo- 
macy war,  it  was  morally  certain,  must  ensue. 

It  was  in  these  circumstances,  and  stimulated  by  the 
appeals  he  received  from  American  friends,  that  Playfair, 
at  the  request  of  Mr  Chamberlain,  took  action.  On  the 
1 2th  January,  1896,  after  a  conversation  with  the  Colonial 
Secretary,  he  saw  the  American  Ambassador,  Mr  Bayard, 
with  whom  he  was  on  terms  of  intimate  friendship,  and 
handed  to  him  a  memorandum  which,  in  his  own  opinion, 
might  furnish  the  basis  of  an  equitable  agreement  between 
the  two  countries.  The  memorandum  began  by  pointing 
out  that  the  fact  that  the  President  of  the  United  States 
had  sent  no  reply  to  the  last  two  despatches  of  Lord 
Salisbury  seemed  to  offer  an  opening  for  private  negotia- 
tions, by  means  of  which  the  two  Governments  might 
again  be  brought  together.    It  then  proceeded  : — 


PLAYFAIR   AND   THE   UNITED  STATES.  417 

"  2.  The  Monroe  doctrine,  which  essentially  is  '  that  European 
nations  having  interests  in  America  shall  not  seek  to  extend  their 
influence  in  that  hemisphere,'  and  which  is  not  now  accepted  inter- 
nationally, might  be  made  international  between  the  countries 
now  having  colonies  in  America.  If  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment were  to  propose  a  conference  of  these  nations  to  this  end, 
England  would  accept  the  Monroe  doctrine. 

"3.  It  might  or  it  might  not  be  wise  to  submit  to  this  conference 
the  question  whether  the  dispute  as  regards  the  Venezuela  boundary 
comes  within  the  Monroe  doctrine. 

"  4.  Venezuela. — In  Mr  Olney's  despatch  there  was  an  admission 
that  the  United  States  would  not  interfere  with  the  friendly  arrange- 
ment of  the  boundary  between  the  two  nations.  Of  course  Vene- 
zuela at  present  will  not  do  anything  without  the  approval  of  the 
United  States.  Could  not  some  such  friendly  arrangement  or 
arbitration  be  made  in  this  way  ? — 

"  A.  There  are  no  Venezuelan  settlements  inside  the  Schom- 
burgk  line. 

"  B.  There  are  no  English  settlements  beyond  the  Schomburgk 
line. 

"  Irrespective  of  that  line,  could  not  the  general  condition  be 
accepted  that  all  English  and  all  Venezuelan  settlements  be 
excluded  from  arbitration,  but  that  all  the  country  between  the 
settlements  be  settled  by  a  Court  of  Arbitration,  and  a  line  be  drawn 
by  that  court  which  shall  be  accepted  by  both  countries  ?  It  would 
be  possible  to  add  English  and  Venezuelan  Commissioners  to  the 
Commission  already  appointed  by  the  United  States,  but  that  would 
be  too  large  and  cumbrous  a  Commission.  Would  it  not  be  better 
to  appoint  two  or  three  from  the  United  States  Commission  to 
represent  the  knowledge  they  have  acquired,  two  or  three  from 
England,  and  two  or  three  from  Venezuela  ?  If  the  principle  were 
accepted  that  the  districts  already  settled  by  the  English  and 
Venezuelan  Governments  or  people  should  not  be  arbitrated  upon, 
there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  settling  a  line  on  a  friendly  arbitra- 
tion. I  believe  the  English  Government  would  accept  such  a 
proposal  coming  from  the  United  States  Government." 

This  important  memorandum  was  undoubtedly  founded 
upon  communications  which  had  passed  between  Playfair 
and  members  of  Lord  Salisbury's  Government.  It  indi- 
cates roughly,  as  the  reader  will  perceive,  the  settlement 
which  was  eventually  arrived  at ;  but  when  he  read  it  to 
Mr  Bayard  on  that  Sunday  afternoon  in  January,  1896,  the 
two  countries  were  still  far  from  being  ready  to  come  to 
terms,  and  a  prolonged  correspondence — in  the  first  place 

B    B 


41 8  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

private  and  confidential,  and  subsequently  official — had  to 
pass  between  the  representatives  of  both  before  an  agree- 
ment was  come  to.  Mr  Chamberlain  has  kindly  permitted 
me  to  include  in  this  narrative  his  own  letters  in  the 
following  correspondence.  It  need  only  be  said  by  way  of 
introduction  that  Mr  Bayard  was  as  keen  to  bring  about  a 
pacific  solution  of  the  difficulty  as  anyone  in  this  country 
was,  and  that,  whilst  safeguarding  the  rights  and  dignities 
of  the  United  States,  he  was  eager  to  assist  Playfair  in  the 
work  in  which  he  was  now  engaged. 

Embassy  of  the  United  States,  London, 
Mr  Bayard  to  Playfair.  January  13th,  1896. 

Dear  Lord  Playfair, — I  return  with  thanks  the 
memorandum  enclosed  in  re  Venezuela  which  you  handed 
me  yesterday.  I  cabled  the  purport  (confidential)  to  the 
Secretary  of  State,  and  believe  the  candid  and  friendly 
acceptance  by  this  country  of  the  Monroe  doctrine,  and 
non-extension  of  European  holdings  in  the  Americas,  will 
be  promotive  of  a  better  feeling,  by  dispelling  an  indefinite 
apprehension  of  European  intervention  and  control  in 
Transatlantic  local  Governments,  which  has  been  fostered 
by  a  party  of  foes  to  the  international  peace.  I  sent  over 
also  your  project  of  disregarding  the  Schomburgk  line,  but 
reserving  actual  "settlements  "  from  the  scheme  of  arbitra- 
tion. While  I  anticipate  good  results  from  non-insistence 
in  advance  of  the  Schomburgk  line,  yet  I  do  not  know 
how  far  the  actual  occupation  of  the  disputable  territory 
has  progressed  on  either  side  of  the  dispute.  The  con- 
cession of  mining  rights  has  been  very  reckless  and  vague 
and  corrupt,  as  a  consequence  of  leaving  the  boundary  so 
long  an  open  question  ;  and  a  great  deal  of  fictitious 
purchase  and  sale  and  unscrupulous  manufacture  of  title 
has  no  doubt  followed.  If  we  can  initiate  the  disposition 
to  settle  in  good  temper,  it  will  rapidly  progress  ;  and 
I  am  not  willing  to  doubt  that  good  feeling  and  good 
sense  will  prevail.  Sincerely  yours, 

T.  F.  Bayard. 


PLAYFAIR   AND   THE   UNITED   STATES.  419 

On  January  17th  Mr  Bayard  informed  Playfair  that 
his  Government  was  indisposed  to  assent  to  a  conference 
being  called  to  deal  with  the  Monroe  doctrine. 

The  Right  Hon.  Joseph  Chamberlain  to  Playfair. 

Highbury  Moor  Green,  Birmingham, 
January  igth,  1896. 

My  dear  Playfair, — Surely  the  Americans  would  be 
wrong  not  to  accept  a  conference  to  adopt  the  Monroe 
doctrine.  Such  an  international  confirmation  would  tend 
to  clear  the  air,  and  remove  from  the  minds  of  all  the 
American  people  the  idea — so  extraordinary  to  us — that 
either  we  or  any  other  European  nation  covets  one 
additional  inch  of  soil  on  the  American  continent. 

Besides  this  advantage,  this  plan  would  in  our  eyes 
appear  to  be  more  regular  and  more  in  accordance  with  the 
proceedings  of  diplomacy.  However,  if  Mr  Bayard  does 
not  like  it,  I  am  not  inclined  to  press  for  it  strongly. 

I  think  there  would  be  no  objection  to  introducing  an 
article  to  some  convention  establishing  a  general  arbitra- 
tion between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  for  all 
cases  of  (1)  disputed  boundaries  in  unsettled  territories, 
(2)  complaints  by  nations  of  one  side  alleging  injury  by 
officials  of  the  other.  (This  is  a  very  common  case, 
involving  much  correspondence,  and  admirably  suited  for 
arbitration.) 

The  above  would  of  course  include  the  Venezuelan  case, 
in  regard  to  which,  however,  it  would  not  be  enough 
merely  to  provide  that  the  disputed  boundaries  should  be 
"taken  into  account."  In  my  view,  occupied  places  and 
districts  ought  to  be  mutually  excluded.  Mr  B.  is  wrong 
in  thinking  that  Venezuela  has  few  settlements.  On  the 
contrary,  I  believe  her  settlements  come  nearer  to  the 
Schomburgk  line  on  her  side  than  ours  do  on  our  side 
of  the  line. 

Assuming  that  there  was  agreement  on  this  point,  which 
is  a  point  of  principle,  it  would  remain  to  define  "  settle- 
ments "  and  to  decide  on  the  Commission.  My  own  idea 
is  that  Venezuela  must  be  represented,  and  I  should  have 


420  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

thought  that  a  Boundary  Commission  like  the  Commission 
for  the  Pamirs  or  for  Delimitation  of  Frontiers  of  the  Gold 
Coast  would  be  the  most  practical  way  of  dealing  with  the 
business.  In  all  the  cases  quoted,  the  Commissioners  have 
been  able  to  agree  among  themselves,  or  in  exceptional 
cases  they  referred  a  point  to  their  respective  Govern- 
ments, who  have  at  once  come  to  an  understanding. 

Believe  me, 

Yours  very  truly, 

J.  Chamberlain. 

On  January  20th  Playfair  had  another  interview  with 
Mr  Bayard,  and  learned  from  him  that  the  American 
Government  was  exceedingly  anxious  to  provide  for  the 
exclusion  of  all  bogus  claims  of  settlement.  This  he 
reported  to  Mr  Chamberlain. 

Colonial  Office, 

Mr  Chamberlain  to  Playfair.  January  23rd,  1896. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  have  received  your  two  last 
letters.  Of  course  no  concession  without  serious  occupa- 
tion would  be  considered  a  settlement.  I  think  five  years' 
bond  fide  occupation  would  be  a  fair  definition.  I  do  not 
think  there  is  any  reliable  map  or  book  showing  accurately 
the  lines  of  such  settlements  on  either  side  the  Schomburgk 
Boundary,  but  I  am  telegraphing  for  information. 

Believe  me, 

Yours  very  truly, 

J.  Chamberlain. 

Mr  Bayard  to  Playfair.  January  29th,  1896. 

Dear  Lord  Playfair,- -I  have  a  communication  to 
make  to  you,  and  will  see  you  at  3  p.m.  to-day,  or  to- 
morrow at  10.30  a.m.  at  my  residence,  or  will  await  your 
decision  as  to  time  and  place.  To-night  I  am  tied  by  an 
engagement.  Sincerely  yours, 

T.  F.  Bayard. 


PLAYFAIR   AND   THE    UNITED   STATES.  42 1 

At  the  interview  which  followed,  Mr  Bayard  read  to 
Playfair  the  telegrams  which  he  had  received  from 
Washington  with  regard  to  the  suggestions  made  in  Play- 
fair's  memorandum.  In  all  the  communications  which  had 
been  made  from  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  the  exclusion  of 
the  settled  districts  from  any  arbitration  had  been  insisted 
upon.  Mr  Bayard  himself  had  fully  understood  this, 
and  had  impressed  it  upon  his  Government.  Playfair 
found  to  his  disappointment  that  the  Executive  of  the 
United  States  seemed  disposed  to  pass  this  condition 
by.     He  reported  to  Mr  Chamberlain  accordingly. 

Highbury  Moor  Green,  Birmingham, 
Mr  Chamberlain  to  Playfair.  February  1st,  1896. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  have  to  acknowledge  your 
letter  of  yesterday,  and  feel  sure  that  my  request  for 
information  from  the  United  States  Government  will  be 
favourably  considered.  In  regard  to  your  previous  letter, 
of  29th  ultimo,  I  have  to  point  out  to  you  that  although 
the  necessity  and  practical  advantage  of  confining  any 
inquiry  by  a  Commission;  or  Tribunal  of  Arbitration,  to  the 
unsettled  lands  on  both  sides  has  formed  a  prominent  part 
of  every  representation  you  have  made  to  Mr  Bayard,  yet 
there  is  no  allusion  to  it  in  the  suggestions  which  come 
from  Washington,  although  Mr  Bayard  says  that  this  con- 
dition is,  he  believes,  understood  and  desired. 

In  my  view  it  is  an  essential  condition  of  any  settlement 
on  the  lines  you  have  been  following.  In  this  controversy 
Great  Britain  has  been  contending  for  men,  and  not  for 
territory  ;  for  the  rights  of  settlers  whom  we  have  en- 
couraged to  take  up  residence,  and  to  invest  their  fortunes 
in  the  colonies,  and  not  for  a  mere  question  of  so  many 
acres  more  or  less  of  land. 

I  think,  therefore,  that  the  time  has  come  when  the  tacit 
understanding  on  which  you  have  proceeded  should  be 
formally  confirmed  ;  failing  which,  I  fear  there  will  be  no 
advantage  in  our  continuing  our  private  conference  to  find 


422  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

a  satisfactory  and  honourable  solution.  If,  however, 
this  point  is  accepted  on  both  sides,  I  believe  there 
will  be  no  difficulty  on  other  heads. 

Believe  me, 

Yours  very  truly, 

J.  Chamberlain. 

Mr  Bayard  to  Play  fair.  February  23rd,  1896. 

Dear  Lord  Playfair,— I  am  grieved  to  learn  of  your 
being  so  much  indisposed,  and  that  we  shall  be  deprived  of 
the  expected  pleasure  of  having  Lady  Playfair  and  yourself 
to  dine  on  Tuesday  next.  Pray  get  well ;  you  are  needed. 
And  now  let  me  say  a  word  about  Venezuela.  During  the 
long  pause  in  our  informal  but  earnest  colloquies,  it  is 
evident  that  a  strong  and  most  wholesome  public  sentiment 
has  proved  its  existence  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic ;  and 
while  it  encourages  the  efforts  of  co-operative  international 
amity,  it  also  notifies  the  enemy,  so  that  it  behoves  us  to 
clinch  our  arrangements  without  loss  of  time,  and  thus  pre- 
vent the  question  from  being  cast  into  the  furnace  of  the 
political  canvass  upon  which  the  people  of  the  United 
States  will  enter  in  a  few  short  months.  Surely  the 
practicable  remedy  contained  in  the  suggestions  I  last  made 
to  you,  and  upon  which,  when  we  last  met,  I  conceived  we 
were  in  substantial  accord,  ought  not  to  be  imperilled  or 
lost  because  of  the  conjectural  or  possible  transfer  of 
property  rights  in  the  terra  incognita  of  Guiana  from  one 
political  jurisdiction  to  another  ? 

The  phrase  in  Mr  Chamberlain's  note  to  you  of  February 
1  st,  and  through  which  you  ran  your  pencil,  that  the  object 
in  view  of  Her  Majesty's  Ministers  was  "men,  and  not 
territory,"  surely  does  not  state  the  case  as  it  actually 
exists  ;  because,  if  the  native  occupation  and  possession  of 
the  land  is  held  irrevocably  to  tie  the  land  to  the  owner, 
the  land  equally  with  the  man  would  be  excluded  from  the 
proposed  submission  to  arbitration.  I  need  not  say  to  you 
that  respect  for  the  law,  its  moral  principles  and  conscience, 
is  equally  shared  by  both  branches  of  our  race,  and  that 


PLAYFAIR  AND  THE   UNITED   STATES.  423 

Spanish-American  methods  of  dealing  with  property  and 
personal  rights  would  be  as  little  likely  to  find  favour,  or 
have  influence,  with  the  commissioners  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States  as  with  those  selected  here.  So  that  if  there 
should  turn  out  to  be  some  "  hard  cases "  of  honest  pro- 
prietorship in  the  disputable  region,  in  which  honest 
purchasers  without  notice  would  suffer,  and  over  which 
the  application  of  equitable  principles  favourable  to  the 
protection  of  vested  rights  need  not,  in  the  face  of  the  clear 
facts,  be  extended,  surely  provisional  arrangements  for 
compensation  and  indemnification  for  such  cases  could 
be  made  without  serious  difficulty. 

I  must  say  to  you  that  I  am  impressively  instructed 
to  urge  co-operation  by  those  in  authority  here  without 
loss  of  time  ;  and  with  such  a  spirit  as  now  exists,  with 
a  Commission  such  as  is  contemplated,  containing  such 
elements  of  legal  learning,  justice,  equity,  and  amicable 
patriotism  as  would  be  entrusted,  together  with  the 
(possible,  but  not  probable)  resort  to  the  ultimate  decision 
of  the  highest  two  judicial  officers  of  the  respective 
countries,  it  seems  humanly  impossible  that  serious  wrong 
should  be  done  to  any  man.  If  with  such  methods  and 
such  machinery  justice  should  not  be  evolved,  where  in 
the  range  of  human  nature  can  it  be  found  ? 

Believe  me, 

Sincerely  yours, 

T.  F.  Bayard. 

40,  Princes  Gardens,  S.W., 
Mr  Chamberlain  to  Play  fair.  February  25th,  1896. 

My  dear  Playfair, — I  now  return  you,  according  to 
your  request,  the  letter  from  Mr  Bayard  of  February  23rd. 
I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot  but  regard  its  contents  as 
unsatisfactory. 

I  think  it  well  at  this  stage  to  remind  you  of  the  course 
of  our  informal  negotiations.  When  I  first  saw  you,  I 
pointed  out  that  the  message  of  the  President  appeared 
to    place    the    two    countries    in   direct   antagonism,   and 


424  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

that  accordingly  the  object  of  all  friends  of  peace  should 
be  to  find  some  third  course  which  both  Governments 
could  accept  without  going  back  on  their  previous  declara- 
tions. I  observed  that  while  successive  English  Govern- 
ments had  uniformly  refused  an  unlimited  arbitration,  it 
might  be  possible  to  arrange  for  an  arbitration  under  con- 
ditions which  might  be  acceptable  to  both  parties ;  and 
I  suggested  inter  alia  that  if  settled  districts  on  both 
sides  of  the  Schomburgk  line  were  excluded,  there  would 
probably  be  no  difficulty  in  arriving  at  a  boundary  to  be 
drawn  by  a  competent  tribunal,  between  the  settlements 
in  either  country.  This  suggestion  was  submitted  by 
you,  and  on  the  17th  January  a  telegram  from  Mr 
Olney  was  received,  which  suggested  that  in  the  reference 
to  arbitration  specific  provision  should  be  made  that  long- 
continued  occupation  should  be  taken  into  account. 

On  January  19th  I  replied  that  the  exclusion  of  the 
settled  districts  was  a  matter  of  principle,  and  that  the 
words,  "be  taken  into  account,"  did  not  seem  to  me  to 
be  sufficient. 

On  the  20th  January  you  gave  me  an  account  of  your 
interview  with  Mr  Bayard,  in  which  you  reported  that 
he  was  anxious  that  in  the  definition  of  settlement  bogus 
claims  should  be  excluded  ;  but  he  stated  that  he  quite 
understood  that  the  principle  of  exclusion  underlay  our 
proposal. 

On  the  23rd  January  I  suggested  five  years'  bond- fide 
occupation  as  the  definition  of  a  settled  district. 

On  the  29th  January  you  forwarded  to  me  a  definite 
proposal  from  Mr  Olney,  in  which,  however,  no  reference 
was  made  to  settled  districts.  You  stated  that  you  had 
pointed  this  out  to  Mr  Bayard,  who  said  that  he  believed 
that  the  principle  was  understood  and  desired.  On  the 
same  day  I  replied  to  you,  pointing  out  that  the  exclusion 
of  settled  districts  was  stated  to  be  the  essence  of  the 
arbitration.  Mr  Bayard  explained  that  Mr  Olney  in- 
sisted on  bond-fide  as  contrasted  with  snatch  settlements ; 
and  you  suggested  the  words  "  effective  occupation  "  as 
meeting  the  case. 


PLAYFAIR   AND   THE    UNITED   STATES.  425 

This  being  substantially  the  history  of  the  negotiation, 
I  am  surprised  to  find  that  in  Mr  Bayard's  last  letter,  of 
February  23rd,  he  goes  back  to  the  original  proposal  for 
an  open  and  unconditional  arbitration,  and  ignores  the 
continued  insistence  by  both  you  and  me  on  the  principle 
of  exclusion.  To  surrender  this  principle  now  would  be 
to  cut  away  the  ground  on  which  we  have  sought  an 
amicable  compromise,  and  would  stultify  the  repeated 
declarations  of  the  British  Governments,  from  Lord 
Aberdeen  to  the  present  day. 

As  the  abstract  which  I  have  given  of  our  correspondence 
shows  that  this  point  has  from  the  first  been  steadily  kept 
before  Mr  Olney,  I  must  express  my  great  disappointment 
that  the  United  States  Government  should  apparently 
desire  to  withdraw  from  the  position  which  I  think  we 
both  understood  they  originally  accepted.  In  this  case 
I  can  only  hope  that  some  other  compromise  may  be 
found  in  the  course  of  the  negotiations,  and  as  I  under- 
stand that  these  are  now  officially  in  progress,  I  think 
no  object  will  be  served  by  continuing  the  informal  dis- 
cussion, which  has  unfortunately  failed  to  bring  about  a 
complete  understanding. 

Sincerely  appreciating  the  efforts  which  you  have  made, 
and  trusting  that  although  at  present  they  have  led  to 
no  practical  result,  they  may  have  had  the  effect  of 
clearing  the  ground  for  further  negotiations, 

I  am, 

Yours  very  truly, 

J.  Chamberlain. 

Mr  Chamberlain's  summary,  admirably  clear  and  concise, 
sufficiently  indicates  the  part  which  Playfair  had  in  the 
inception  of  the  earliest  negotiations  that  followed  the 
unfortunate  rupture  occasioned  by  President  Cleveland's 
message.  The  negotiations  which,  on  the  strength  of  his 
personal  knowledge  of  American  politicians  and  politics, 
Playfair  had  initiated,  did  not,  it  will  be  seen,  result  in  the 
definite  settlement  of  the  question  at  issue.    But  the  official 


426  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

negotiations  which  followed,  and  which  advanced  along 
the  line  first  indicated  by  Playfair  in  his  memorandum  of 
January  12th,  brought  about  that  happy  result.  In  the 
autumn  of  1896  a  Court  of  Arbitration  was  agreed  upon, 
and  it  was  accepted  by  both  Governments  as  an  essential 
point  that  settled  districts  were  to  be  excluded  from  arbitra- 
tion. For  the  definition  of  settled  districts,  it  was  agreed 
by  the  two  countries  that  the  same  lapse  of  time  which 
protected  natives  in  civil  life  from  having  their  title  ques- 
tioned should  also  protect  the  English  colony  in  the 
disputed  district.  The  reader  will  not,  I  trust,  think  that  I 
have  occupied  too  much  space  in  telling  this  story  of  Play- 
fair's  intervention  in  the  great  dispute.  The  phase  of  that 
question  with  which  he  had  to  deal  has  now  passed  into 
the  domain  of  history,  but  it  is  impossible  to  forget  that  for 
several  anxious  months  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States 
seemed  to  be  drifting  towards  a  fratricidal  war,  the  worst 
of  all  the  calamities  which  could  now  overtake  the  civilised 
world.  No  man  who  had  any  part  in  averting  that  catas- 
trophe could  fail  to  feel  justly  proud  of  his  share  in  the 
work  ;  and  Playfair,  during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  was 
glad  to  know  that  his  own  efforts  had  in  this  respect  been 
of  some  service,  not  only  to  his  fellow-countrymen,  but  to 
the  people  of  a  country  with  which  he  had  become  con- 
nected by  so  dear  a  tie. 

After  the  successful  conclusion  of  the  official  negotiations 
for  the  setting  up  of  the  Court  of  Arbitration,  Playfair  had 
a  friendly  note  from  Mr  Bayard,  referring  to  various  private 
matters,  in  which  the  following  lines  occur  : — "  I  think  you 
and  I  can  shake  hands  over  the  settlement  of  the  Vene- 
zuelan matter,  which  has  passed  the  stage  of  inflamation, 
and  healing  is  almost  accomplished.  (I  believe  there  are 
two  '  m's '  in  inflamation,  but  I  drop  one  as  some  English- 
men might  drop  an  '  h,')  but  de  minimis  non  curat,  and  we 
can  stand  together  in  the  main  result." 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

SERVICES   TO    SCIENCE   AND   EDUCATION. 

Scientific  Appreciation  of  Playfair  by  Professor  Crum-Brown — Sir  Edward 
Frankland  on  his  Investigations  into  the  Best  Coal  for  the  Royal 
Navy — Playfair  on  Health  and  Disease — On  Vivisection — On  the 
Applications  of  Science  to  Commerce — On  the  Connection  between 
Man's  Necessities  and  the  Industrial  Arts — Playfair's  Work  as  an 
Exhibition  Commissioner — The  National  Buildings  at  South  Kensing- 
ton his  Monument — Initiator  of  "The  Victoria  and  Albert  Museum." 

Playfair's  position  in  the  world  of  science  can,  in  the 
nature  of  things,  only  be  determined  when  sufficient  time 
has  been  allowed  to  elapse  to  bring  him  and  his  contempo- 
raries in  scientific  work  into  their  true  focus.  The  reader 
has  seen  how  full  and  busy  his  life  was,  and  how  from  first 
to  last  he  was  ever  striving  to  give  practical  application 
to  the  successive  discoveries  of  science.  Throughout  his 
career  his  chief  object  seemed  to  be  to  bring  all  the  stores 
of  knowledge  which  he  had  at  his  command,  all  the  teach- 
ings of  experience,  to  the  service  of  his  fellow-men.  It  was 
in  Parliament,  on  Royal  Commissions,  as  the  active  spirit 
in  a  hundred  different  agencies  for  advancing  our  social 
welfare,  that  he  played  his  most  conspicuous  part ;  and 
naturally  enough,  it  is  as  the  practical  man  who  turned  to 
good  account  the  labours  of  the  scientific  men  of  his  time 
that  he  made  his  greatest  mark  upon  his  own  generation. 
But  amid  the  incessant  pressure  of  this  practical  work  in 
legislation  and  social  reform,  Playfair  never  ceased  to  be 
more  or  less  of  a  student,  and  his  mind  was  never  free  from 
the  study  of  questions  which  belonged  to  the  region  of 
science  rather  than  to  that  of  politics.     Of  his  position  in 


428  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

the  scientific  world  no  better  account  has  been  given  than 
that  which  I  am  permitted  to  quote  from  the  pen  of 
Professor  Crum-Brown.  It  is  a  lucid  and  brief,  but  not 
incomplete  survey  of  his  career  as  a  man  of  science,  and 
as  it  brings  within  short  compass  the  whole  of  Playfair's 
labours  in  this  domain,  it  will  not  be  without  interest  to 
the  readers  of  this  biography. 

"  Lyon  Playfair,"  says  Professor  Crum-Brown,  "  came  home  for 
his  education  from  India  to  St.  Andrews,  where  his  grandfather  had 
been  Principal  of  the  united  College  of  St.  Salvator  and  St.  Leonard, 
and  where  his  uncle,  Sir  Hugh  Lyon  Playfair,  after  a  distinguished 
career  in  the  Indian  Army,  retired  in  1834,  not  to  repose,  but  to  new 
battles  against  dirt,  disease,  and  ruin — battles  the  result  of  which  we 
see  in  the  clean,  prosperous,  and  healthy  city  of  St.  Andrews.  We 
may  well  believe  that  Lord  Playfair  derived  some  of  his  enthusiasm 
for  sanitation  and  order  from  his  uncle,  '  the  eccentric  and  energetic 
soldier  who  begged,  bullied,  and  wheedled  away  the  filth  and 
ruinous  neglect  which  bade  fair  to  entomb  the  ancient  city.' 

"  After  some  years  in  St.  Andrews,  he  went  to  Glasgow  to  study 
medicine,  but  was  attracted  to  chemistry  by  the  teaching  of 
Graham,  then  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  Andersonian.  After 
a  short  visit  to  India,  he  resumed  his  chemical  studies  under 
Graham,  in  the  University  College,  London.  In  1838  he  went  to 
Liebig's  laboratory  at  Giessen,  where  he  worked  at  organic  chemis- 
try, and  produced  his  first  scientific  paper  '  On  a  New  Fat  Acid  in 
the  Powder  of  Nutmegs.'  Liebig  was  not  only  his  teacher  but  his 
friend,  and  when  Liebig,  on  the  invitation  of  Prince  Albert,  came  to 
this  country  to  lecture  on  agricultural  chemistry,  Playfair  acted  as 
his  assistant  and  interpreter,  and  was  thus  introduced  to  the  Prince 
— an  introduction  which  had  an  important  effect  on  his  subsequent 
life.1  For  two  years  he  managed  the  chemical  department  of 
Messrs  Thomson's  Printing  Works  at  Clitheroe.  In  1843  he  was 
appointed  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  Royal  Institution  at 
Manchester.  In  1844,  on  the  recommendation  of  Sir  Robert  Peel, 
he  was  appointed  a  member  of  a  Royal  Commission  for  the  exami- 
nation of  the  sanitary  condition  of  large  towns  and  populous 
districts.  This  was  the  beginning  of  what  was  to  be  a  large  part  of 
the  work  of  his  life.  In  1845  he  was  one  of  the  Commissioners  on 
the  Irish  Famine,  and  from  that  time  till  his  death  there  was  no 
year   during   which   he   was   not   appointed   to    serve   on   a    Royal 

1  This  is  a  mistake,  Playfair's  introduction  to  Prince  Albert  having, 
as  told  on  a  previous  page,  been  made  through  the  instrumentality  of 
Sir  Robert  Peel. 


SERVICES   TO   SCIENCE   AND   EDUCATION.  429 

Commission  or  a  Select  Committee  of  the  House  of  Commons,  in 
very  many  cases  as  chairman.  Among  the  Commissions  on  which 
he  served,  besides  those  already  named,  may  be  mentioned  the 
Exhibition  of  1851,  the  Exhibition  of  1862,  the  Cattle  Plague,  the 
Reorganisation  of  the  Civil  Service  (the  Report  of  which  is  still 
known  officially  as  the  Playfair  Scheme),  Pensions  for  the  Aged 
Poor,  the  University  of  London,  the  Herring  Fisheries  of  the  United 
Kingdom,  Coal  for  the  Navy.  In  1846  he  was  appointed  Chemist  to 
the  Museum  of  Practical  Geology,  and  Professor  of  Chemistry  in 
the  Government  School  of  Mines. 

"  As  Special  Commissioner  in  charge  of  the  department  of  juries 
at  the  Great  Exhibition  of  185 1,  Playfair  had  an  entirely  new  task 
before  him.  This  was  the  first  international  exhibition  ;  he  had  no 
precedent  to  work  upon.  What  he  did  was  quite  original,  and  it 
was  so  well  done  that  it  became  the  model  for  all  succeeding  inter- 
national exhibitions.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  success  of  the 
1 85 1  Exhibition  was  to  a  great  extent  due  to  Playfair's  clear  view  of 
what  ought  to  be  done  and  of  what  could  be  done,  and  to  his 
untiring  energy  in  doing  it  and  getting  other  people  to  do  it.  The 
value  of  this  work  was  recognised  in  the  highest  quarters,  and 
Playfair  became  a  Companion  of  the  Bath  and  Officer  of  the 
Household  of  the  Prince  Consort.  A  more  striking  proof  of  the 
value  set  by  others  on  his  services  was  the  fact  that  he  was  asked  to 
undertake  the  same  duty  in  connection  with  the  Exhibition  of  1862, 
as  also  that  of  the  Paris  Exhibition  in  1878.  The  Prince  of  Wales, 
who  was  President  of  the  British  Commission,  appointed  him 
Chairman  of  the  Finance  Committee. 

"  The  1851  Exhibition  led  in  1853  to  the  foundation  of  the 
Department  of  Science  and  Art,  and  Playfair  and  the  late  Sir 
Henry  Cole  were  appointed  joint  secretaries.  In  1856  Playfair 
became  Inspector-General  of  Government  Museums  and  Schools  of 
Science.  These  offices  he  held  till  1858,  when,  on  the  death  of 
Professor  Gregory,  he  was  appointed  to  the  Chair  of  Chemistry  in 
the  University  of  Edinburgh.  In  Edinburgh  he  created,  practically 
out  of  nothing,  a  really  useful  teaching  laboratory.  The  rooms  then 
available  were  very  ill-suited  for  the  purpose,  and  the  funds  quite 
inadequate ;  but  he  made  the  most  of  the  former,  and  supplemented 
the  latter,  spending  on  the  department  the  whole  of  his  professorial 
income  during  the  first  year,  and  a  large  part  of  it  during  sub- 
sequent years  of  his  tenure  of  office.  Playfair  was  an  original 
member  of  the  Chemical  Society  of  London,  over  which  he  presided 
in  1857-59.  He  was  elected  a  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society  in  1848, 
and  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Edinburgh  in  1859.  He  was  President 
of  the  Chemical  Section  of  the  British  Association  in  1855  and  in 
1859,  and  of  the  Association  in  1885. 

"  Playfair  had  a  truly  scientific  mind,  and  was  always  busy;  and 
yet  we  do  not  find  a  great  deal  of  original  scientific  work  recorded 


430  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

under  his  name  in  the  '  Royal  Society  Catalogue  of  Scientific  Papers.' 
His  work  lay  mostly  in  another  direction,  and  as  he  belonged  not 
only  to  the  world  of  science,  but  also  to  that  of  practical  business, 
he  was  specially  fitted  to  act  as  an  interpreter  between  them.  Such 
an  interpreter  is  needed.  The  man  of  science  does  not  always 
know  what  the  business  man  wants,  and  the  business  man  often 
does  not  understand  what  the  man  of  science  tells  him.  Such 
services  are,  perhaps,  appreciated  more  highly  by  the  man  who 
immediately  feels  the  benefit  of  them — the  statesman,  the  manu- 
facturer, or  the  merchant — than  by  the  man  of  science.  But  we 
should  remember  that  if  science  takes  a  higher  place  now  than  it 
took  fifty  years  ago,  if  the  opportunities  for  the  genuine  study  of 
science  and  for  the  prosecution  of  scientific  investigation  are  greater 
now  than  they  were  then,  if  science  is  taking  more  nearly  its  right 
place  in  the  education  of  the  country,  that  is  due  to  a  large  extent 
to  Playfair's  wisdom  and  hard  work.  Of  Playfair's  contributions  to 
pure  chemistry,  the  most  important  is  the  discovery  and  investiga- 
tion of  the  nitro-prussides  ;  and  to  applied  chemistry,  the  report  on 
the  work  undertaken  by  him,  along  with  Bunsen,  on  the  gases 
evolved  in  iron  furnaces.  But  besides  what  was  published  in 
scientific  journals,  or  in  the  Transactions  of  learned  societies 
Playfair  did  a  great  deal  of  original  scientific  work — how  much, 
no  one  can  now  tell — incidentally  in  the  course  of  the  investigations 
of  the  numerous  Commissions  of  which  he  was  a  member." 

No  competent  person  will  question  the  accuracy  of 
Professor  Crum-Brown's  summary  of  Playfair's  labours 
as  a  man  of  science  ;  and  the  tribute  which  he  pays  to 
the  part  that  Playfair  had  in  bringing  science  and  states- 
manship, science  and  industry,  into  close  and  practical 
alliance,  will  be  endorsed  by  all  men  of  science  and  all 
practical  workers  who  knew  the  story  of  his  career. 

Sir  Edward  Frankland,  one  of  Playfair's  many  pupils 
who  attained  distinction  in  the  scientific  world,  has 
favoured  me  with  an  account  of  his  investigations  into 
the  best  coal  for  use  in  the  Royal  Navy — one  of  the 
many  inquiries  conducted  by  him  in  connection  with 
those  Royal  Commissions  to  which  Professor  Crum-Brown 
alludes  in  the  foregoing  paper.  In  Sir  Edward  Frankland's 
opinion,  this  particular  investigation  was  a  typical 
example   of    Playfair's    mode   of    work,   and   furnishes    a 


SERVICES   TO   SCIENCE   AND   EDUCATION.  43 1 

model  for  all  engaged  in  similar  inquiries.  It  occupied 
many  years  of  Playfair's  life — all  the  time  he  could 
spare  from  his  regular  avocations  being  devoted  to  it. 
He  himself  has  passed  by  the  whole  of  this  vast 
amount  of  labour  with  little  more  than  a  casual  mention 
in  his  Autobiography.  Sir  Edward  Frankland1  declares 
that  for  plan  of  procedure,  scientific  accuracy,  and  thorough- 
ness of  execution,  Playfair's  reports  on  this  investigation 
will  bear  favourable  comparison  with  any  ever  presented 
to  Parliament  by  command  of  Her  Majesty. 

The  ordinary  reader  will  obtain  the  best  idea  of  the 
extent  of  Playfair's  knowledge,  and  of  the  peculiar  place 
which  he  occupied  in  the  world  of  science,  from  a  perusal 
of  the  little  book,  published  in  1889,  entitled  'Subjects 
of  Social  Welfare.'  In  this  book  Playfair  brought  together 
a  number  of  the  papers  and  addresses  which  he  had 
delivered  upon  different  occasions,  not  merely  to  scientific 
but  to  popular  audiences.  The  subjects  dealt  with  are 
various,  ranging  from  the  Public  Health  and  the  Phenomena 
of  Sleep  to  Bimetallism  and  the  Relations  of  the  Uni- 
versities to  Professional  Education.  But  whatever  the 
subject,  it  is  always  treated  by  Playfair  in  a  manner  that 
illustrates  his  special  standpoint  as  a  man  of  science.  His 
great  object  throughout  his  life  was  to  bring  scientific 
knowledge  and  discovery  into  direct  relationship  with  the 
practical  work  of  life.  The  Fates  had  made  it  impossible 
that  he  should  pursue  his  early  path  as  a  scientific  in- 
vestigator. He  had  been  drawn  away  from  the  fascinating 
delights  of  that  path  by  his  absorption  in  public  business. 
For  many  years  he  was  the  man  of  affairs,  dealing  either 
in  the  Council  Chamber  or  in  Parliament  with  those 
questions  which  directly  affect  the  welfare  of  society.  But 
he   never   forgot    his    first    love ;    and  whenever   he  had 

1  Whilst  these  pages  were  passing  through  the  press  Sir  Edward 
Frankland  died  (July,   1899). 


432  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

the  opportunity  he  strove  to  impress  upon  those  with  whom 
he  was  brought  in  contact  the  virtues  of  science  as  a  great 
ameliorating  influence  of  life,  and  its  uses  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  resources  of  a  people,  and  in  the  removal  of 
the  evils  to  which  society  is  a  prey.  His  style,  both  in 
speaking  and  in  writing,  was  at  once  delightfully  simple 
and  delightfully  picturesque.  The  illustrations  by  which 
he  sought  to  enforce  the  truths  he  was  teaching  were 
drawn  from  the  commonest  objects,  and  were  made 
effective  by  the  ingenuity  with  which  they  were  applied 
to  the  subject  in  hand.  He  was  one  of  the  few  men 
who  could  make  even  an  oration  upon  Bimetallism  in- 
teresting to  the  uninformed.  In  turning  over  the  pages 
of  'Subjects  of  Social  Welfare,'  I  find  many  passages 
illustrating  his  peculiar  method  in  dealing  with  abstruse 
questions,  and  the  remarkable  ability  with  which  he  was 
able  to  make  complex  problems  intelligible  to  the  ordinary 
mind.  I  find  also  in  the  book  some  of  those  master- 
strokes which  made  Playfair  one  of  the  great  practical 
teachers  and  pioneers  of  our  time.  Other  men  dug  more 
deeply  into  the  soil  in  search  of  abstract  truth,  but  he 
had  at  least  a  wonderful  knack  of  laying  his  hands  upon 
the  nuggets  in  the  mine  in  which  others  wrought,  and 
of  bringing  them  to  the  light  of  day. 

The  first  paper  in  the  volume  of  which  I  am  speaking 
consists  of  an  address  which  he  gave  as  President  of 
the  Health  Section  of  the  Social  Science  Congress  at 
Glasgow  ;  and  some  extracts  from  it  will  show,  not  only 
the  clearness  with  which  he  pursued  any  line  of  argu- 
ment, but  the  poetic  fancy  which  enabled  him  to  bring 
it  home  in  its  most  picturesque  form  to  those  whom 
he  addressed. 

Comparing  the  body  politic  to  the  body  of  the  individual 
man,  he  pointed  out  that  the  latter  was  composed  of 
distinct  particles,  and  that  disease    meant   that   some  of 


SERVICES   TO   SCIENCE    AND   EDUCATION.  433 

these  particles  were  being  wasted  more  rapidly  than  they 
were  being  restored. 

"  So  in  the  body  politic,  when  the  rate  of  mortality  is  too  high — 
that  is,  when  the  individuals  of  its  population  which  constitute  the 
particles   of  the  State,  waste  too  rapidly — the  State  suffers  from 
public  maladies.     Hence  the  State  medical  officer  and  the  private 
physician  work  on  like  principles ;  for  to  the  former  the  community, 
to  the  latter  the  individual,  is  the  patient.     This  relation  of  the  indi- 
vidual to  the  community,  and  the  reflex  action  of  the  community  on 
the  individual,  give  a  double  motive  for  sanitary  action.     For  the 
community,  depending  as  it  does  on  all  the  moments  of  health  of 
individuals,  requires  to  watch  and  cherish  them  ;  while  each  indi- 
vidual must  feel  that  it  is  his  interest  to  watch  the  health  of  his 
neighbour,  upon  whose  soundness  rests  the  foundation  of  his  own 
well-being.     So  that  the  common  law  of  health  is  the  Christian  law : 
'Thoushalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.'     .     .     .     The  more  we 
study  the  question  of  public  health  the  simpler  does  the  problem 
become  in  theory,  though  its  attainment  is  difficult  in  practice.     All 
that  we  need  aim  to  secure  is  purity,  air,  cleanliness  in  the  house, 
the  air  and  the  water,  and  genuineness  in  the  food  and  clothes.     In 
fact  a  great  part  of  sanitary  science  can  be  comprised  in  that  one 
word,  '  cleanliness.'     No  epidemic  can  resist  clean  houses,  clean  air, 
and  clean  water.    Disease,  like  the  evil  demons  of  old,  shuns  cleanly 
places.    In  olden  times,  as  among  the  Jews,  evil  spirits  dwelt  in  filthy 
places,  especially  loving  tombs  and  ordure.     Every  private  closet 
contained  a  special  demon  of  its  own,  and  it  is  so  to  the  present  day, 
in  a  different  sense.     I  am  quite  sure  that  the  chamber  of  Sara,  the 
daughter  of  Raguel,  as  described  in  the  Book  of  Tobit,  must  have 
overlooked  a  dung-hill,  otherwise  she  would  not  have  been  so  griev- 
ously afflicted  by  the  unclean  spirit,  Asmodeus,  who,  out  of  love  for 
her,  strangled  her  husbands.     But  Tobias,  her  eighth  husband,  for 
whom  his  father-in-law  considerately  dug  a  grave  as  soon  as  the 
marriage  was  performed,  obviously  knew  that  there  might  be  smells 
even  too  bad  for  a  demon  ;  for  on  the  bridal  night  he  threw  the 
powdered  heart  and  liver  of  a  fish  on   some  burning  embers  in  her 
chamber,    and,  as   the   narrative   tells  us,  '  the  which  smell  when 
the  evil  spirit  had  smelled,  he  fled  into  the  uttermost  parts  of  Egypt.' 
To  my  mind  the  Book  of  Tobit  is  a  distinct  hygienic  allegory.     The 
good  Tobit  had  a  craze  for  burying  dead   bodies,  and  had  all  his 
troubles  in  consequence  of  his  hygienic  propensities.     Sleeping  in  a 
vile  place,  the  sparrows  muted  filthy  dung  into  his  eyes,  and  ren- 
dered him  blind  ;  but  Raphael  (that  name  by  interpretation  means 
'  the  medicine  of  God  ')  comes  as  an  angelic  guide  to  his  son  Tobias, 
and  puts  all  things  right  by  his  hygienic  knowledge,  conquering  even 
the  foul  demon,  Asmodeus,  and  curing  Tobit  of  his  ophthalmia — 
acquired,  as  our  workhouse  children  now  get  it,  by  foul  air." 

C   C 


434  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

There  is  a  picturesque  force  in  this  illustration,  drawn 
from  the  Apocrypha,  which  everybody  will  acknowledge. 
Nor  is  the  same  quality  lacking  in  the  following  passage, 
describing  the  demon  of  filth  as  it  was  to  be  encountered  in 
our  own  Middle  Ages  : — 

"  It  is  not  a  pleasant  task  to  dwell  on  the  habits  of  the  population 
even  in  our  country  in  past  times.  Go  back  only  to  the  time 
previous  to  the  Reformation,  and  you  can  have  no  difficulty  in 
understanding  why  luxury  and  squalor  produced  the  plagues  of  the 
times  of  the  Tudors  and  the  Stuarts.  High  above  all  other  dwel- 
lings were  the  castles  and  the  monasteries,  but  the  cabin  of  the 
peasant  was  worse  than  any  to  be  now  found  in  the  furthest  islands 
of  Scotland.  It  was  made  of  reeds  and  sticks,  plastered  over  with 
mud.  In  these  wigwams  lived  an  ague-stricken  population.  In  the 
towns  the  mechanics  lived  in  rooms  without  glass  windows,  slept  on 
straw  beds,  and  worked  in  workshops  unheated  by  coal  fires.  Even 
in  well-to-do  houses  rushes  covered  the  earthen  floors,  and  got  satu- 
rated with  scraps  of  food  which  remained  to  putrefy  under  a  new 
layer  of  rushes  scattered  over  it,  so  that  the  petremen  came  to  dig 
saltpetre  out  of  the  floors.  Filth,  instead  of  being  abhorred,  was 
almost  sanctified.  The  monks  imitated  the  filthy  habits  of  the  her- 
mits and  saints  of  early  Christian  times,  for  the  early  Fathers  com- 
mended them.  Even  St.  Jerome  used  to  praise  the  filthy  habits  of 
hermits.  He  especially  commends  an  Egyptian  hermit,  who  only 
combed  his  hair  on  Easter  Sunday,  and  never  washed  his  clothes 
at  all,  but  let  them  fall  to  pieces  by  rottenness.  .  .  .  But  this 
association  of  filth  with  religion  was  unhappy  in  its  consequences, 
for  men  ceased  to  connect  disease  with  uncleanness,  and  resorted  to 
shrines  and  winking  virgins  for  cures  of  maladies  which  were  pro- 
duced by  their  own  physical  and  moral  impurities.  Even  the 
palaces  of  kings  were  filthy,  according  to  the  Duchess  of  Orleans 
memoirs  of  the  splendid  Court  of  Louis  XIV.  Under  all  these  in- 
fluences plagues  were  very  destructive  in  England.  Men  first  began 
to  connect  them  with  filth  by  some  striking  examples.  Thus  in  1665, 
when  the  Court  and  Parliament  assembled  at  Oxford,  it  had  an  immu- 
nity from  plague ;  and  the  reason  of  this  immunity  was  traced  to 
the  thorough  cleansing  which  the  magistrates  gave  to  the  city  to  fit 
it  for  its  distinguished  guests.  The  Great  Fire  of  London  also 
taught  Englishmen  a  wholesome  lesson,  for  it  came  as  a  great  sani- 
tary agent  to  extirpate  the  foul  nests  of  disease  in  the  metropolis  ; 
and  so  at  last  the  moderns  learned  what  the  ancients  knew  very 
well,  that  public  health  can  only  be  assured  by  cleanliness,  and  that 
filth  is  the  parent  of  disease,  both  among  individuals  and  communi- 
ties.    .     .     .     We  forget  the  experience  of  our  forefathers,  that  every 


SERVICES  TO   SCIENCE    AND  EDUCATION.  435 

cesspool  has  its  own  particular  evil  spirit  residing  within  it,  and  we 
are  surprised  when  the  demon  emerges,  especially  at  night,  and 
strikes  down  our  loved  ones  with  typhoid  fever  or  other  form  of 
pestilence.  Perhaps  we  go  a  step  further  in  the  hygiene  of  moderns, 
and  do  throw  the  foul  matter  into  drains,  which  empty  themselves 
into  our  once  beautiful  rivers,  that  in  many  cases  are  still  used  as  a 
beverage  by  people  lower  down  in  the  stream.  And  when  they 
remonstrate  with  us  we  surly  wolves  growl  at  the  poor  innocent 
lambs  because  they  object  to  drink  our  abominations.  This  country 
once  gloried  in  her  beautiful  rivers,  but  they  are  now  mere  open 
ditches,  which  pollute  the  districts  through  which  they  flow.  Rivers 
in  their  normal  state  contain  dissolved  air  sufficient  to  oxydise  and 
destroy  any  accidental  organic  contaminations.  This  purifying 
power  of  air  dissolved  in  water  is  essential,  because  no  water,  either 
in  rivers  or  springs,  could  otherwise  be  pure.  All  sources  of  water 
are  ultimately  obtained  from  rain,  and  that  is  never  pure,  because 
it  washes  out  organic  impurities  from  the  atmosphere.  At  the  same 
time,  it  carries  down  air  in  solution,  so  that  it  presents,  with  the 
poison,  its  natural  antidote.  The  air-purifying  process  is  very 
limited,  and  is  altogether  insufficient  for  streams  polluted  with  town 
sewage  and  manufacturing  refuse." 


This  was  the  practical  gospel  which  Playfair  proclaimed 
when  dealing  with  questions  relating  to  the  public  health. 
In  discussing  those  questions  before  popular,  or  even  before 
scientific  audiences,  he  brought  the  whole  subject  back, 
as  will  be  perceived,  to  the  simplest  first  principles.  Men 
of  science  may  possibly  regard  this  teaching,  and  the 
illustrations  by  which  it  was  enforced,  as  being  so  simple 
as  to  be  positively  puerile.  But  Playfair  knew  what  he 
was  about ;  and  made  it  his  business  to  state  the  practical 
conclusions  at  which  he  had  arrived,  in  such  a  fashion 
that  he  who  ran  might  read.  It  was  in  this  way  that 
he  was  enabled  to  do  more  than  the  most  eminent  of 
pure  men  of  science  in  impressing  upon  men  of  affairs 
their  duty  with  regard  to  the  public  health.  Nor  did 
he  lack  that  fine  moral  courage  which  enables  a  man  to 
speak  the  truth,  even  though  he  knows  that  by  doing 
so  he  has  to  face  unpopularity  and  misrepresentation. 
He   has   spoken    in    his   Autobiography    of   the    part   he 


436  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

played  with  regard  to  the  question  of  compulsory  vaccin- 
ation.1 It  was  a  part  in  which  the  spirit  of  compromise 
was  not  to  be  found. 

No  less  uncompromising  was  his  language  upon  a 
subject  which  has  excited  even  keener  controversies  than 
compulsory  vaccination — the  question  of  vivisection.  The 
justification  of  vivisection,  he  declared,  was  that  man's 
duty  to  man  was  greater  than  his  duty  to  beasts.  "  If  I 
thought,"  he  said  in  the  House  of  Commons,  "that  a 
comparative  argument  as  to  cruelty  had  much  force,  I 
could  allude  to  the  continued  sufferings  of  the  horses, 
mules,  and  camels  in  the  Afghan  and  Egyptian  wars,  in 
terms  which  would  be  too  horrible  for  this  House  to 
listen  to.  Even  in  the  relation  of  man  to  man,  how 
otherwise  than  by  a  common  or  national  benefit  could 
we  justify  the  sacrifice  of  whole  battalions  in  assaulting 
fortified  positions  ;  or  how  could  we  justify  the  frightful 
suffering  which  a  surgeon  inflicts  when  he  excises  a  joint, 
or  cuts  out  a  huge  tumour  ?  How  otherwise  could  we 
justify  a  parent  when  he  corrects  a  child,  or  the  State 
when  it  flogs  a  garotter  ?  It  is  not  the  mere,  or  even 
the  continuous,  infliction  of  pain  which  is  an  offence 
against  the  moral  law,  but  the  unnecessary  infliction  of 
pain  without  an  adequate  motive  to  benefit  mankind  by 
the  act.  It  is  not  the  mere  act,  but  the  motive  for  that 
act  which  either  makes  it  an  offence  against  morality  or 
gives  to  it  a  justification." 

In  the  same  speech  there  occurred  a  striking  passage 
which  deserves  to  be  preserved,  on  another  aspect  of  this 
much  vexed  question. 

"  Nothing  is  more  short-sighted  than  the  utilitarian  cry  of  the 
ignorant  against  investigators  in  science.  It  is  as  superficial  as 
the  remark  of  Savarin,  when  he  said,  '  He  who  invents  a  new  dish 
does  more  for  humanity  than  he  who  discovers  a  star.'     But  exactly 

1  See  ante,  p.  297. 


SERVICES  TO   SCIENCE   AND  EDUCATION.  437 

as  navigation  is  the  outcome  of  astronomy,  or  as  bleaching  or 
dyeing  is  the  outcome  of  chemistry,  or  as  engineering  is  the  applica- 
tion of  mathematics,  so  is  medicine  the  outcome  of  the  sciences  of 
physiology  and  pathology.  To  strangle  these  sciences  by  refusing 
to  them  the  only  modes  of  research  which  render  their  progress 
possible,  would  be  to  relegate  the  medicine  of  the  future  to  em- 
piricism and  quackery.  Indeed,  nothing  is  more  certain  than  that 
every  abstract  truth  given  to  the  world  constantly  leads  to  the  most 
unexpected  and  most  useful  applications  to  humanity.  Thus  when 
Galvani  put  a  copper  hook  through  the  spine  of  frogs,  and  hung 
them  on  the  iron  rails  of  his  balcony  at  Bologna  in  order  to  study 
the  muscular  contractions  which  were  thus  produced,  who  could 
have  predicted  that  this  experiment  was  to  originate  the  science 
of  Galvanism,  and  lead  to  the  discovery  of  the  electric  telegraph 
to  the  electric  light,  to  new  motors  for  our  machinery,  and  to  the 
important  use  of  electricity  in  the  cure  of  disease  and  relief  of 
human  suffering  ?  So  it  is  with  other  discoveries  in  physiology, 
which,  even  when  they  appear  remote  from  practical  application, 
constantly  lead  to  the  most  important  benefits.  When  Pasteur  and 
Lister  made  experiments  on  the  minute  organisms  which  appear 
during  fermentation  and  putrefaction,  who  could  have  predicted 
that  the  experiments  of  the  former  philosopher  would  have  opened 
up  a  wide  field  of  promise  in  the  treatment  of  diseases  which  afflict 
our  flocks  and  herds  ;  or  that  the  observations  of  Lister  would  give 
us  that  admirable  method  of  antiseptic  treatment  which  now  ranks 
as  one  of  the  greatest  improvements  of  modern  surgery  ?  And  yet 
Lister  had  to  go  abroad  to  perform  a  few  experiments  on  animals, 
as  the  present  Act  was  too  restrictive  for  him  to  perform  them  in 
this  country,  though  the  pain  inflicted  was  not  greater  than  the 
healing  of  some  slight  wound.  When  you  recall  the  horrible  pain 
which  used  to  be  inflicted  after  a  surgical  operation  by  burning 
the  bleeding  vessels  with  a  red-hot  iron,  the  successive  steps  in 
surgery  which  have  attended  experiments  in  the  healing  of  wounds, 
and  which  have  culminated  in  the  antiseptic  treatment  of  Lister, 
have  surely  justified  the  small  amount  of  brute  suffering  by  giving 
comparative  safety  to  the  most  formidable  surgical  operations  in 
the  case  of  man." 

All  through  his  addresses  and  speeches  upon  these 
questions  affecting  the  welfare  of  our  race,  Playfair  found 
opportunities  for  impressing  facts  upon  those  whom  he 
addressed  by  means  of  novel  views  and  illustrations.  Thus, 
discussing  with  his  Leeds  constituents  the  question  of 
agricultural  depression,  and  of  the  proposed  adoption  of 
what  is  known  as  Fair  Trade  in  order  to   remedy  that 


438  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

depression,   he    pointed    to    one    cause   which   had   been 
overlooked  by  the  advocates  of  Fair  Trade. 

"  There  was  a  deeper  cause  at  work  than  the  temporary  failure  of 
our  crops.  The  economical  applications  of  science  in  the  vast 
improvements  of  the  telegraph,  the  railroads,  and  the  steamships 
have  changed  the  whole  system  of  commerce.  The  effect  of  this 
has  been  to  destroy  local  markets,  and  to  consolidate  all  into  one 
market — the  world.  If  our  landlords  and  farmers  want  to  know  the 
names  of  the  three  persons  who  have  knocked  out  the  bottom  of  our 
old  agricultural  system,  I  can  tell  them.  Their  names  are  Wheat- 
stone,  Sir  Henry  Bessemer,  and  Dr  Joule.  The  first,  by  telegraph}-, 
has  changed  the  whole  system  by  which  exchanges  are  made ;  the 
second,  by  his  improvements  in  steel,  has  altered  profoundly  the 
transportation  of  commodities  by  sea  and  by  land ;  and  the  third, 
by  his  discoveries  of  the  mechanical  equivalent  of  heat,  has  led  to 
great  economy  of  coal  in  compound  engines.  By  these  changes  the 
United  States,  Canada,  India,  and  Russia  have  their  corn  crops 
brought  to  our  doors.  The  effect  of  these  discoveries  upon  the 
transport  of  corn  will  be  realised  when  I  state  that  a  small  cube  of 
coal  which  would  pass  through  a  ring  the  size  of  a  shilling,  when 
burned  in  the  compound  engine  of  a  modern  steamboat,  would  drive 
a  ton  of  food  and  its  proportion  of  the  ship  two  miles  on  its  way 
from  a  foreign  port.  This  economy  of  coal  has  altered  the  whole 
situation.  Not  long  since  a  steamer  of  3,000  tons  going  on  a  long 
voyage  might  require  2,200  tons  of  coal,  and  carry  only  a  limited 
cargo  of  800  tons.  Now,  a  modern  steamer  will  take  the  same 
voyage  with  800  tons  of  coal,  and  carry  a  freight  of  2,200  tons. 
While  coal  has  thus  been  economised,  human  labour  has  been 
lessened.  In  1870  it  required  47  hands  on  board  our  steamships  for 
every  1,000  tons  capacity.  Now  (1887)  only  28  are  necessary.  All 
these  changes  going  on  in  the  economy  of  fuel  and  of  labour  have 
led  to  increased  production  at  a  small  cost.  Four  men  in  the 
United  States,  working  for  one  year  in  the  growing,  milling,  and 
transportation  of  wheat,  could  produce  flour  for  a  year's  consump- 
tion of  1,000  other  men,  allowing  one  barrel  of  flour  to  each  adult. 
I  need  not  elaborate  this  point  further,  for  you  will  all  see  how  this 
has  acted  upon  agriculture.  It  has  made  the  grain  market  one 
all  over  the  world." 

One  of  the  most  important  of  Playfair's  addresses 
gathered  together  in  the  volume  from  which  I  am 
quoting,  is  that  entitled  "  The  Inosculation  of  the  Arts 
and  Sciences,"  an  address  which,  as  he  has  himself  recorded, 
he   delivered   as   President   of    the    Midland    Institute   at 


SERVICES   TO   SCIENCE   AND   EDUCATION.  439 

Birmingham  in  1870.  One  striking  passage  I  must  quote 
from  this  address  as  a  further  illustration  of  his  method 
of  treating  his  subjects. 

"  The  industrial  arts  spring  clearly  out  of  the  necessities  of  man. 
Man  is  peculiarly  helpless  as  regards  his  own  personal  and  physical 
belongings.  With  an  intellect  which,  when  developed,  approaches 
that  of  an  angel,  he  has  a  naked,  unprotected  body  like  that  of  an 
earthworm.  Covered  neither  with  chitine  like  the  lobster,  nor  thick 
hide,  nor  with  fur  nor  feathers,  he  looks  as  helpless  at  his  birth  as 
the  unfledged  gosling,  but,  unlike  it,  never  gets  a  better  protection 
from  wind  or  weather  as  he  grows  older.  The  earthworm  can  mine 
and  tunnel,  so  as  to  seek  protection  underground  ;  but  even  this  is 
denied  to  man.  Every  lower  animal  has  within  itself  admirable 
tools  for  work.  The  tailor-bird  can  sew,  the  fishing-frog  can  throw 
out  lines  and  bait,  the  beaver  can  build  bridges,  the  silkworm  can 
spin,  the  spider  can  weave,  the  bees  can  manufacture  sugar,  the 
ants  can  construct  storehouses  for  their  corn — all  of  them  self- 
provided  with  admirable  tools  for  the  purpose,  existing  within 
themselves,  and  capable  of  being  renewed  by  themselves  when 
wasted  by  work.  Man  has  neither  in  hands  nor  feet  tools  sufficient 
for  his  protection  or  sustenance.  We  know  of  no  race  of  savages  so 
absolutely  wild  as  to  possess  no  arts.  .  .  .  Nakedness  and  want  of 
tools  form  the  stimulant  to  man's  industry,  and  the  arts  grow  slowly, 
and  at  first  almost  imperceptibly,  from  his  necessities.  The  experi- 
ence which  he  thus  acquires  becomes  an  inheritance  of  common 
knowledge.  Science  is  the  evolution  of  that  knowledge,  and  the 
mode  of  it  is  worthy  of  your  consideration.  Accumulated  facts  are 
necessary  for  science,  but  do  not  create  it ;  for  that  arises  only  when 
man's  reason  acquires  dominion  over  his  senses,  and  teaches  him  to 
verify  the  impressions  conveyed  by  them.  In  savage  life  science  is 
not  developed,  because  the  gratification  of  the  senses  and  subordin- 
ation of  everything  to  them  are  incompatible  with  the  evolution  of 
science  from  any  number  of  facts.  Even  in  civilised  life  it  is  long 
before  men  learn  how  to  subdue  their  senses  to  their  reason.  If 
you  doubt  it,  look  to  the  lamentable  hold  which  spirit-rapping  and 
table-turning  got  upon  our  communities.  The  believers  in  such 
phenomena  tell  you  that  they  saw  them  with  their  own  eyes,  or 
heard  them  with  their  own  ears.  So  they  did,  but  they  do  not 
understand  that  to  see  rightly  and  to  hear  with  accuracy  are  about 
the  last  things  a  man  learns.  When  an  experimental  philosopher 
thinks  that  he  has  made  a  discovery,  he  does  not  rely  even  on  his 
trained  faculties  of  observation,  but  spends  months — sometimes 
years — in  testing  and  looking  at  his  discovery  in  every  possible  light 
before  he  announces  it  to  the  world.  Yet  an  untrained  observer,  if 
he  see  a  table  turn  round,  or  listen  to  a  physical  rap  on  the  floor  or 


440  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

ceiling,  believes  that  he  is  justified  in  ascribing  it  to  some  odylic  or 
spiritual  influence." 

I  have  perhaps  quoted  too  many  passages  from  '  Subjects 
of  Social  Welfare,'  but  no  biography  of  Playfair  would  be 
complete  which  did  not  afford  the  reader  some  knowledge 
of  the  manner  in  which  he  treated  those  great  scientific 
truths  which  it  was  his  mission  in  life  to  impress  upon  the 
world.  Nor  was  it  only  with  practical  science  that  he 
dealt  in  this  fashion.  He  was  a  Political  Economist  of  the 
orthodox  type.  To  him  the  laws  of  supply  and  demand 
were  as  true  as  the  multiplication  table  ;  and  as  a  politician 
he  made  it  his  business  to  instruct  his  constituents,  and 
other  bodies  of  British  voters,  in  those  truths  of  political 
economy  in  which  he  had  so  firm  a  faith.  He  was  always 
sane  and  clear-headed  in  his  opinions.  He  abhorred  fads 
and  popular  superstitions  with  all  his  heart.  Above  all,  he 
was  an  individualist,  and  one  of  the  great  objects  for  which 
he  wrought  in  Parliament,  on  the  platform,  and  in  the  Press 
was  the  widening  of  the  bounds  of  that  human  freedom 
upon  which  he  constantly  maintained  that  human  progress 
itself  depended. 

When  I  turn  from  this  side  of  Playfair' s  labours  to 
the  practical  work  which  he  did  in  furthering  those  great 
interests  connected  with  the  scientific  and  technical  instruc- 
tion of  the  people,  I  am  naturally  confronted  at  once  by  the 
task  he  accomplished  as  a  member  of  the  Royal  Commission 
of  the  185 1  Exhibition.  In  a  previous  chapter  the  story  has 
been  told  of  the  beginnings  of  the  Science  and  Art  Depart- 
ment at  South  Kensington,  and  of  the  part  which  Playfair 
had  in  founding  the  world-famed  Museum  and  the  Royal 
College  of  Science.  His  official  connection  with  the  Science 
and  Art  Department  was  brought  to  a  close  by  his  appoint- 
ment to  his  professorship  at  Edinburgh  in  1858  ;  and  for  a 
time  it  was  only  as  an  outsider  that  he  promoted  the 
objects  which  the  Exhibition  Commissioners  had  in  view. 


SERVICES  TO    SCIENCE   AND   EDUCATION.  44 1 

In  1869,  the  year  following  his  election  to  Parliament,  he 
returned  to  the  Commission — no  longer  as  one  of  its  ser- 
vants, but  as  a  Commissioner.  It  need  hardly  be  said 
that  he  quickly  became  one  of  the  most  active  members 
of  that  body.  Soon  after  he  joined  the  Commission  a 
series  of  exhibitions  was  given  by  the  Commissioners  in 
new  permanent  galleries  which  had  been  erected  for  the 
purpose.  In  all  of  these  Playfair  took  a  very  active 
part,  his  vast  experience  in  organising  such  exhibitions 
being  of  the  greatest  service  to  the  Commissioners.  But 
the  Commission,  as  a  whole,  was  in  a  somewhat  unsatisfac- 
tory state  at  that  period  ;  and  in  1874  a  special  Inquiry 
Committee  was  formed  for  the  purpose  of  reorganising 
the  Commission.  The  members  of  this  Committee  were 
Lord  Granville,  Lord  Ripon,  Lord  Carnarvon,  Lord  Spencer, 
and  Playfair.  The  Committee  practically  undertook  the 
management  of  the  affairs  of  the  Commission  until  1883, 
when  General  Scott,  the  secretary,  died.  Playfair  was 
then  induced  by  the  Prince  of  Wales  and  his  fellow- 
Commissioners  to  become  honorary  secretary  temporarily, 
until  another  paid  secretary  could  be  appointed.  He 
undertook  to  fill  this  position  for  six  months  :  he  actually 
held  it  for  six  years.  From  1883  to  1889  he  was  engaged 
in  the  important  work  of  reorganising  the  financial  posi- 
tion of  the  Commissioners.  When  he  began  his  duties  as 
honorary  secretary  there  was  a  serious  annual  deficit  on 
the  accounts,  and  the  work  of  the  Commissioners  was,  in 
consequence,  greatly  hampered.  When  he  gave  up  the 
honorary  secretaryship  in  1889,  he  had  already  converted 
the  deficit  into  a  surplus  of  .£5,000  a  year,  and  had  placed 
the  management  upon  such  lines  that  this  surplus  revenue 
has  since  been  more  than  doubled. 

From  1889  to  1891  he  was  engaged  in  a  task  almost  as 
important  as  that  of  bringing  the  finances  of  the  Com- 
mission into  a  state  of  solvency.     This  was  the  elaboration 


442  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

of  a  plan  for  disposing  of  these  surplus  funds  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  make  them  of  the  greatest  benefit  to  the 
cause  of  scientific  education.  He  had  long  seen  that  what 
was  required  in  this  country  in  order  to  give  students  an 
opportunity  of  acquiring  scientific  training  as  good  as  that 
to  be  obtained  on  the  Continent,  was  the  foundation  of  a 
number  of  science  scholarships,  which  would  enable 
students,  when  they  had  finished  their  ordinary  educa- 
tion, to  devote  two  or  three  years  to  research  work  in  the 
great  laboratories  and  teaching  institutions  both  in  this 
country  and  on  the  Continent.  He  had  never  ceased  to 
advocate  the  foundation  of  these  scholarships,  and  when 
the  finances  of  the  Commissioners  had  been  put  in  order 
he  felt  that  his  time  had  come,  and  that  he  might  fairly 
appeal  to  the  Commission  to  employ  the  surplus  funds 
which  they  now  had  at  their  disposal  for  this  purpose.  In 
the  Report  of  the  Commissioners  to  the  Crown  in  1889, 
they  announced  that  they  had  directed  the  preparation  of  a 
scheme  for  assisting  the  promotion  of  scientific  education 
by  devoting  a  sum  of  not  less  than  ,£5,000  a  year  to  the 
establishment  of  scholarships,  to  enable  the  most  promising 
students  in  provincial  colleges  of  science  to  complete  their 
studies,  either  in  those  colleges  or  in  the  larger  institutions 
of  the  metropolis.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  act  in 
conjunction  with  Play  fair  in  drawing  up  a  scheme  for  these 
scholarships.  Playfair,  who  acted  as  chairman,  invited  the 
different  members  of  the  Committee  to  formulate  proposals 
with  regard  to  the  scholarships,  and  eventually  selected 
a  scheme  which  had  been  drawn  up  by  Professor  Sir 
Norman  Lockyer.  The  scope  of  this  new  and  most 
important  departure  in  our  educational  system  will  be 
gathered  from  the  Report  of  Playfair' s  Committee  to  the 
Exhibition  Commissioners  in  June,  1890. 

"The  Committee  have  had  their  attention  drawn  to  the  fact  that 
there  is  a  large  number  of  scholarships  in  the  country ;  and  if  the 


SERVICES  TO   SCIENCE   AND   EDUCATION.  443 

Commissioners  act  on  the  same  lines  as  those  already  occupied,  it 
is  possible  that  education  will  gain  little  by  their  action,  as  the 
endowment  of  the  Commissioners  may  interfere  with  the  establish- 
ment of  new  scholarships  by  private  liberality.  Hence  it  is  desir- 
able that  the  scholarships  with  which  this  Committee  have  to  deal 
should  be  of  a  higher  order  than  most  of  those  now  existing ;  in 
fact,  their  functions  should  begin  where  the  ordinary  educational 
curriculum  ends.  This  system  has  been  adopted  with  excellent 
effects  by  the  French  Ecole  Pratique,  des  hautes  Etudes. 

"  The  Committee  propose  : — (1)  That  the  scholarships  shall  be  of 
£150  a  year  in  value,  and  shall  be  tenable  for  two  years,  but  in  rare 
instances  may  be  extended  to  three  years  by  special  resolution  of 
the  Commissioners.  The  continuation  each  year  after  the  first 
shall  depend  upon  the  work  done  in  the  previous  year  being  satis- 
factory to  the  Scientific  Committee,  which  it  is  suggested  shall  be 
appointed  by  the  Commissioners. 

"  (2)  That  the  scholarships  shall  be  limited  to  those  branches  of 
science  (such  as  physics,  mechanics,  and  chemistry)  the  extension  of 
which  is  specially  important  for  our  national  industries. 

''(3)  That  the  Commissioners  shall  from  time  to  time  select  a 
certain  number  of  provincial  and  colonial  colleges  in  which  special 
attention  is  given  to  scientific  education,  and  give  to  each  the  power 
of  nominating  a  student  of  not  less  than  three  years'  standing  to  a 
scholarship,  on  condition  that  he  indicates  high  promise  and 
capacity  for  advancing  science  or  its  applications. 

"  (4)  That  the  Commissioners  shall  appoint  a  Committee  of 
Advice,  who  will  consider  and  report  upon  the  reasons  for  which  the 
nominations  are  made  by  the  respective  colleges ;  and  the  Com- 
missioners will  appoint  to  the  scholarships  upon  the  report  of  their 
Committee. 

"  (5)  That  the  scholarships,  when  awarded,  shall  be  tenable  in 
any  University,  either  at  home  or  abroad,  or  in  some  other  institu- 
tion to  be  approved  of  by  the  Commissioners.  The  holder  of  a 
scholarship  must  give  an  undertaking  that  he  will  wholly  devote 
himself  to  the  object  of  the  scholarship,  and  that  he  will  not 
hold  any  position  of  emolument  during  its  continuance." 

This  was  the  basis  of  a  scheme  which  has  proved  to  be 
of  the  greatest  practical  importance  in  the  educational 
work  of  this  country.  Even  within  a  year  of  the  estab- 
lishment of  these  scholarships,  the  Commissioners  were 
able  to  speak  with  great  satisfaction  of  the  results  attained ; 
and  now  that  the  scheme  has  been  tried  for  nearly  ten 
years,  it  is  evident  to  all  cognisant  with  the  subject  that 


444  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

the  progress  of  the  nation  in  scientific  instruction,  and  its 
consequent  ability  to  meet  the  fierce  competition  of  other 
countries,  have  been  materially  increased  by  its  operation. 
The  Commissioners,  in  their  successive  Annual  Reports, 
have  borne  testimony  to  the  remarkable  character  of  the 
results  which  have  been  already  attained.  The  holders  of 
the  scholarships  have  been  qualified  not  only  to  hold 
posts  of  importance  in  our  great  workshops,  but  to  act  as 
teachers  of  science  in  our  technical  schools  and  Colonial 
universities  ;  and  small  as  was  the  seed  originally  sown, 
the  plant  has  attained  such  a  growth  that  there  is  reason 
to  believe  that  the  reproach  which  so  long  attached  to 
this  country  of  doing  nothing  in  a  systematic  way  to 
further  the  growth  of  technical  and  science  teaching  will 
soon  be  entirely  removed.  To  Playfair,  more  than  to  any 
other  single  man,  the  credit  for  this  beneficent  revolution 
must  be  given.  He  it  was  who  first,  in  far  distant  days, 
advocated  the  establishment  of  science  scholarships.  It 
was  through  his  labours  in  reorganising  the  finances  of  the 
Royal  Commission  that  the  necessary  funds  for  the  endow- 
ment of  these  scholarships  were  obtained.  And,  finally,  it 
was  he  who,  in  conjunction  with  a  band  of  trained  col- 
leagues of  high  scientific  repute,  selected  a  scheme  which 
has  since  worked  so  admirably.  In  the  Report  of  the 
Royal  Commissioners  issued  in  July,  1898,  the  Science 
Scholarships  Committee,  after  dwelling  with  satisfaction 
upon  the  fact  that  seventy-nine  students  had  already  re- 
ceived scholarships  under  the  scheme,  of  whom  no  fewer 
than  thirty-nine  were  engaged  as  teachers  in  science 
colleges  or  other  educational  institutions,  whilst  twenty-six 
had  obtained  engagements  in  manufacturing  firms  or  in 
public  departments,  proceed  to  say  : — 

"  The  Committee  cannot  pass  from  this  branch  of  the  Report 
without  reminding  the  Commissioners  that  the  idea  of  the  science 
scholarships  originated  with  the  late  Lord  Playfair ;    that  he  made 


SERVICES  TO   SCIENCE   AND  EDUCATION.  445 

the  carrying  out  of  the  scheme,  which  has  proved  so  successful  in 
its  working,  his  particular  care  ;  and  that  for  the  five  years  to  which 
this  portion  of  the  Report  relates  he  took,  as  chairman  of  this 
Committee,  almost  the  entire  burden  of  its  management.  The 
Committee  think  that  this  work  will  hereafter  be  allotted  a  high 
place  amongst  the  many  services  which  that  eminent  man  rendered 
to  his  country." 

These  words,  though  warmer  than  most  official  state- 
ments, will  not  strike  those  who  knew  what  Playfair  did  in 
this  connection  as  being  extravagant.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
if  he  had  done  nothing  else  than  the  accomplishment  of 
this  task  he  would  have  been  entitled  to  live  among  the 
great  benefactors  of  his  country. 

I  have  said  that  in  1889  Playfair  retired  from  the  post  of 
secretary  to  the  Commission,  which  he  had  held  for  six 
years.  His  retirement  from  that  arduous  office  drew  forth 
expressions  of  deep  regret  from  his  eminent  colleagues,  and 
from  the  illustrious  chairman. 

Marlborough  House, 
H.R.H.  the  Prince  of  Wales  to  Playfair.         May  6th,  1889. 

My  dear  Playfair, — Your  letter  of  the  6th  reached 
me  to-day,  and  I  lose  no  time  in  assuring  you  how  deeply 
I  regret  your  determination  to  resign  the  honorary  secre- 
taryship of  the  Royal  Commission  of  185 1.  We  are  indeed 
most  grateful  to  you  for  the  valuable  time  you  have  been 
able  to  give  to  the  many  difficulties  which  beset  the  Royal 
Commission  during  the  six  years  which  you  have  devoted 
to  its  interests.  Nobody  but  yourself  could  have  got  us 
out  of  the  serious  pecuniary  embarrassments  in  which  we 
found  ourselves  placed.     .     .     . 

I  am, 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

Albert  Edward. 

The  Commissioners  did  not  confine  their  expressions 
of  approval   to   such  warm   and   generous  words   as   the 


446  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

foregoing.  As  he  has  told  us  in  his  Reminiscences,  they 
subscribed  to  procure  a  valuable  service  of  plate,  which 
was  presented  to  him  by  the  Prince  of  Wales,  at  a  meeting 
of  the  Royal  Commission  at  Marlborough  House,  and 
acknowledged  by  Playfair  in  words  which  have  already 
been  quoted.  His  retirement  from  the  honorary  secretary- 
ship did  not,  however,  mean  that  Playfair  took  a  less  active 
part  in  the  proceedings  of  the  body  of  which  he  had 
become  so  important  a  member.  From  1889  till  1896  he 
acted  as  vice-chairman  of  the  Board  of  Management,  in 
addition  to  holding  the  office  of  chairman  of  the  Science 
Scholarships  Committee,  which  he  had  held  from  the 
formation  of  that  body.  The  pressure  of  years  compelled 
him  in  1896  to  retire  from  both  these  offices,  though  he 
continued  to  retain  until  his  death  his  position  as  member 
of  the  Commission.  On  his  retirement  he  addressed  to 
Prince  Christian,  the  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Manage- 
ment, the  following  memorandum  : — 

Playfair  to  H.R.H.  Prince  Christian.  June  gth,  1896. 

Sir, — I  am  anxious  to  draw  the  attention  of  your  Royal  Highness, 
as  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Management  of  the  Royal  Com- 
missioners for  the  Exhibition  of  1851,  to  our  general  policy  of  the 
past  in  the  allocation  of  our  surplus  funds.  This  is  desirable,  as  I 
intend  to  resign  my  position  as  (practical)  deputy  chairman  of  the 
Board,  and  also  that  of  chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Scholarships. 
My  many  years  of  service  in  these  capacities  will  justify  me  in 
asking  this  relief. 

It  may  be  useful  to  refer  to  the  financial  policy  which  has  enabled 
the  Board  to  secure  a  sound  condition  for  our  revenue.  That  got 
into  confusion  because,  under  the  administration  of  Mr  Bowring 
and  General  Scott,  there  was  too  great  a  tendency  to  use  capital  in 
the  erection  of  new  buildings.  This  policy  got  us  largely  into  debt, 
and  we  had  for  a  long  time  galleries  on  our  hands  for  which  there 
was  no  demand,  and  which  therefore  produced  no  rent.  At  one 
time,  in  addition  to  our  large  fixed  debt  of  about  £180,000,  we  were 
yearly  creating  a  floating  debt  by  borrowing  from  the  Bank  of 
England  £2,000  or  £3,000  a  year  to  supply  deficiencies  in  revenue 
and  expenditure.  At  present,  our  debt  is  wholly  extinguished,  and 
there  is  a  satisfactory  clear  revenue  to  aid  the  objects  for  which  we 


SERVICES   TO   SCIENCE   AND   EDUCATION.  447 

act  as  trustees.  It  is  not  yet  a  safe  surplus  revenue,  and  if  I  felt 
myself  able  to  continue  for  some  years  more  on  the  Board,  I  would 
counsel  the  formation  of  a  Reserve  Fund  of  at  least  £20,000  before 
we  show  much  increased  liberality  to  the  institutions  which  we  now 
aid  by  annual  grants  in  London,  and  in  the  provinces  and  the 
Colonies,  by  scholarships  to  their  universities  and  colleges,  for  the 
promotion  of  research  in  sciences  relating  to  the  industries  of  the 
Empire. 

Formerly  the  provinces  and  the  Colonies  were  much  discontented 
with  the  appropriation  of  the  Commissioners'  money ;  and  this  dis- 
content, manifested  by  deputations,  memorials,  and  questions  in 
Parliament,  became  so  grave  that  means  had  to  be  provided  to 
meet  the  public  desire  that  the  provinces  and  the  Colonies,  which 
had  done  so  much  to  ensure  the  success  of  the  Great  Exhibition  of 
1851,  should  feel  that  they  had  a  direct  participation  in  the  profits 
which  they  had  helped  to  create.  The  scheme  of  scientific  scholar- 
ships placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  provincial  and  Colonial  universi- 
ties and  colleges  has  removed  this  discontent,  and  is  working 
admirably.  New  and  important  discoveries  have  been  made  by 
our  scholars,  who  are  in  constant  demand  for  teachers  and  pro- 
fessors, both  in  this  country  and  in  the  Colonies  and  in  the  United 
States.  Suppose,  for  instance,  by  this  system  one  great  discoverer 
like  Faraday  or  Stephenson  were  to  appear  among  the  young  scholars 
thus  encouraged  by  £150  annual  grants,  a  gift  would  have  been 
presented  to  this  country  which  would  have  been  cheap  had  the 
nation  contributed  a  million  sterling  to  his  production.  This 
promotion  of  research  is  the  reason  why  Germany  is  running 
us  so  hard  in  commercial  competition ;  and  our  scholarship 
scheme  is  doing  an  important  work  in  this  country  to  the  extent 
of  our  means  by  encouraging  young  scientists  with  capabilities  of 
original  discovery. 

In  reorganising  the  Board  of  Management  there  should  be,  on 
my  retirement,  a  member  who  should  specially  devote  himself  to 
this  work,  which  is  not  light,  and  requires  aptitude  and  scientific 
judgment.  Sir  Henry  Roscoe  seems  to  me  the  one  who  could  best 
step  into  ray  shoes  for  this  special  work  of  supervision.  I  do  not 
desire  to  abandon  the  work  suddenly,  but  at  my  age,  ability  to 
perform  it  may  at  any  time  abandon  me  ;  and  I  wish  your  Royal 
Highness  as  Chairman  to  know  the  conditions  of  the  case  in 
advance.  As  to  the  administrative  ability  which  you  require  to 
supply  the  vacancies  on  the  Board,  there  is  abundant  talent  for 
selection  in  the  Commission.  The  Prince  of  Wales  and  your  Royal 
Highness  will  readily  suggest  names.  We  have  already  allocated 
annual  sums  for  the  support  of  the  Royal  College  of  Music, 
the  Research  Laboratory  of  the  Imperial  Institute,  and  for  the 
provincial  and  Colonial  scholarships  held  in  universities  and 
colleges.  A  further  considerable  annual  sum  is  applied  towards 
the  maintenance  of  the  Roval  Albert  Hall. 


448  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

After  competent  provision  for  all  the  work  which  we  have  under- 
taken, and  with  the  security  of  a  reserve  fund  which  has  already 
been  begun,  which  will  be  a  compensation  for  fluctuating  revenue 
and  secure  steadiness  in  the  annual  grants,  I  think  a  natural  use 
of  our  surplus  funds  would  be  for  the  promotion  of  specific  objects 
in  the  work  of  the  Imperial  Institute — carefully  avoiding  their  use 
for  such  purposes  as  rates  and  taxes,  structural  additions,  lighting 
and  warming,  or  the  club  and  pleasure  purposes  of  the  Institute. 
The  recent  vote  of  money  to  the  Research  Laboratory  was  a  grant 
highly  to  be  commended,  and  did  not  produce  a  note  of  public 
criticism.     .     .     . 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  etc., 

Playfair. 


The  Commissioners,  in  the  Report  in  which  the  above 
memorandum  is  embodied,  state  that  the  Prince  of  Wales, 
after  hearing  Lord  Playfair's  statement  of  his  wish  to 
retire  from  his  offices,  on  behalf  of  the  meeting  expressed 
the  thanks  of  the  Commissioners  for  the  great  benefits 
which  Lord  Playfair  had  conferred  upon  the  Royal  Com- 
mission by  having  willingly  undertaken  and  successfully 
carried  out  for  so  many  years  the  principal  part  in  the 
management  of  its  business. 

"  The  rapid  improvement  in  the  financial  position  of  the 
Royal  Commission,"  said  the  Prince,  "  which  had  fre- 
quently been  a  subject  of  congratulation  at  these  meetings, 
proved  how  valuable  Lord  Playfair's  assistance  had  been 
in  that  department.  But  as  chairman  of  the  Scholarships 
Committee  his  services  had  been  indispensable.  One  of 
the  first  persons  in  this  country  to  point  out  the  necessity 
of  technical  education,  the  scheme  of  Science  Scholarships 
was  originated  entirely  by  him.  He  had  proceeded  to 
work  out  all  the  details  of  the  scheme,  and  since  it  had 
been  in  operation  he  had  taken  by  far  the  most  active 
part  in  its  practical  management.  The  results  showed 
that  the  work  is  of  great  public  utility,  and  one  the 
Commissioners  might  well  be  proud  of." 

With  these  gracious  words  of  His  Royal  Highness,  the 


SERVICES  TO   SCIENCE   AND  EDUCATION.  449 

story  of  Playfair's  connection  with  the  Royal  Commission 
of  1 85 1,  and  with  that  splendid  work  of  scientific  instruc- 
tion in  which  it  still  happily  plays  so  prominent  a  part, 
may  be  fitly  concluded.  There  were,  however,  other 
subsidiary  labours  connected  with  his  position  on  the 
Royal  Commission  in  which  Playfair  had  to  play  a 
considerable  part.  Thus  he  was  one  of  those  to  whom 
the  management  of  the  Royal  Albert  Hall  was  for  a  long 
time  entrusted.  He  withdrew  from  his  position  as  Vice- 
President  of  the  Albert  Hall  Corporation  some  years  before 
his  retirement  from  the  Deputy-Chairmanship  of  the  Royal 
Commission.  This  step  he  took  in  consequence  of  being 
unable  to  approve  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Hall  was 
being  managed.  Shortly  before  the  Royal  Jubilee  of 
1887,  the  idea  of  celebrating  that  memorable  anniversary 
by  erecting  the  Imperial  Institute  was  promulgated,  and 
met  at  once  with  widespread  acceptance.  A  site  at  South 
Kensington  was  suggested  as  that  most  suitable  for  the 
Institute,  and  the  idea  was  put  forward  that  the  Royal 
Commissioners  of  185 1  should  not  only  furnish  the  site, 
but  should  transfer  to  the  Institute  the  whole  of  their  re- 
sources. This  proposal,  when  it  was  mooted  to  Playfair,  met 
with  his  strenuous  opposition,  and  most  fortunately,  as  we 
know,  was  not  carried  further.  But  Playfair  took  a  keen 
interest  in  the  scheme  for  commemorating  Her  Majesty's 
Jubilee  by  the  erection  of  an  Institute  representing  and 
serving  all  parts  of  the  Empire,  and  drew  up  a  memoran- 
dum for  submission  to  the  Prince  of  Wales,  in  which  he 
embodied  his  own  ideas  of  the  manner  in  which  such  an 
Institute  might  be  made  of  greatest  service  to  the  Queen's 
subjects. 

Marlborough  House, 
Sir  Francis  Knollys  to  Playfair.  November  17th,  1886. 

Dear  Sir   Lyon  Playfair, — I   am  desired  by  the 
Prince  of  Wales  to  express  an  earnest  hope  that  you  will 

D    D 


450  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

have  the  goodness  to  afford  him  the  benefit  of  your  assist- 
ance in  connection  with  the  proposed  Imperial  Institute, 
by  consenting  to  serve  on  a  temporary  Committee  which 
he  has  formed  to  advise  him  as  to  a  scheme.  Both  His 
Royal  Highness  and  the  Committee  are  very  anxious  to 
learn  your  views  respecting  the  South  Kensington  site  as 
soon  as  possible.  Perhaps  you  will  not  mind  kindly 
sending  me  a  line  directly  you  arrive. 

Yours  sincerely, 

Francis  Knollys. 

Memorandum  for  the  consideration  of  His  Royal  Highness  the  President 
of  the  Royal  Commission  of  the  Exhibition  of  1851. 

(1)  I  cannot  separate  my  position  as  honorary  secretary  of  the 
Royal  Commission  from  that  of  a  member  of  the  Committee  of 
Advice  regarding  the  Imperial  Institute,  and  I  therefore  desire  to 
have  His  Royal  Highness's  approval  of  my  outline  of  proposals 
dealing  with  the  Commissioners'  property. 

(2)  Subject  to  the  relief  of  the  mortgage  on  our  property,  I  would 
submit  the  following  considerations : — 

The  property  must  be  considered  as  wholly  in  relation  to  — 

(a)  The   probable    claims   of   the   Government   for    the 

development  of  additional  buildings  (such  as  a 
Conservatoire  des  Arts  et  des  Metiers,  etc.)  already 
reported  on  by  a  special  Committee. 

(b)  The  galleries  already  rented  by  the  Government. 

(c)  The  Royal  Albert  Hall. 

(d)  The  Royal  College  of  Music. 

(e)  The  Schools  of  Science  of  the  Government  and  of  the 

Guilds. 

(3)  An  Imperial  Institute  may  be  an  important  supplement  to 
these,  but  it  should  neither  compete  nor  dispense  with  them. 

(4)  It  will  be  necessary  to  make  a  road  across  the  property 
somewhere  about,  but  perhaps  more  to  the  north  of,  the  blue  line 
[marked  upon  a  plan  enclosed  with  the  memorandum]. 

(5)  The  Government  should  receive  the  offer  of  the  land  to  the 
south  of  this  road,1  for  the  development  of  these  important  ends, 
upon  such  terms  as  may  be  agreed  on. 

(6)  The  land  upon  which  the  Imperial  Institute  might  be  built  is 
to  the  north  of  this  road,  about  nine  acres  being  available,  without 
touching  the  proposed  gardens  of  the  Albert  Hall. 

1  Since  sold  to  the  Government,  and  now  allotted  to  the  Science  Museum. 


SERVICES  TO   SCIENCE   AND  EDUCATION.  45 1 

(7)  I  presume  that  the  Imperial  Institute  will  consist  of  two 
sections — A,  the  Colonial  and  Indian  ;  B,  the  United  Kingdom. 

(8)  There  seems  to  be  no  chance  of  English  manufacturers  taking 
up  the  proposal  warmly,  unless  it  is  embodied  before  them  in  the 
attractive  form  of  a  centre  for  the  technical  education  of  the  nation. 

(9)  For  this  purpose  I  deem  it  essential  to  success  that  the  Com- 
missioners should  continue  to  pledge  themselves  (as  they  have 
actually  done  in  their  last  Report)  not  to  spend  their  surplus  income 
in  buildings  or  endowments,  but  in  the  promotion  of  technical 
education,  free  scholarships  and  prizes,  connecting  the  provinces 
with  the  scheme. 

(10)  The  Central  Imperial  Institute  will  not  have  the  individual 
support  of  Colonists  and  of  English  manufacturers  unless  there  is 
associated  with  it  a  scheme  of — 

(a)  Colonial  combined  industries  or  separate  Colonies. 

(b)  United  Kingdom ;  separate  industries  or  separate  centres 

of  industry. 

For  this  purpose  the  Exhibition  galleries  will  be  indispensable. 
Thus  the  Colonies  might  have  the  western,  and  the  United  Kingdom 
the  eastern  galleries.  This,  however,  assumes  that  the  Government 
give  up  these  galleries,  of  which  they  are  now  tenants,  by  providing 
buildings  for  themselves.  At  present  they  are  sources  of  revenue  to 
the  Commissioners.  .  .  .  We  could  not  promise  to  give  these 
galleries  to  the  Imperial  Institute  without  crippling  our  resources 
in  regard  to  the  promotion  of  technical  education,  which  must  be 
pushed  to  the  forefront  if  the  co-operation  of  this  country  is  to  be 
secured.  We  can  only  indicate  that  there  are  the  galleries,  and 
that  they  will  probably  be  available  on  moderate  terms. 

(n)  These  varying  exhibitions  of  separate  industries,  colonies  or 
localities  will  be  the  life-blood  of  the  Imperial  Institute.  These 
will  represent  the  scientific  and  industrial  resources  of  the  Empire, 
but  the  periodical  exhibitions  will  bring  in  the  co-operation  of  the 
people,  and  that  is  necessary  to  influence  the  Governments.  The 
gardens  and  music  of  the  Royal  Albert  Hall  will  add  attractions 
to  the  whole  scheme,  and  are  an  essential  condition  for  its  success. 

(12)  If  His  Royal  Highness  the  President  approves  of  my 
offering,  on  the  part  of  the  Commission,  to  give  co-operation  on 
these  lines,  subject  of  course  to  the  further  approval  of  the  Com- 
mission itself,  I  shall  know  how  far  to  go  in  agreeing  to  or  helping 
to  make  a  scheme  for  the  Imperial  Institute.  I  am  obliged  to  con- 
sider the  whole  interests  involved  in  the  property,  and  can  readily 
foresee  misapprehensions  which  should  be  guarded  against  in 
the  outset. 

Lyon  Playfair, 

Hon.  Secretary. 


52  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

Though  this  scheme,  with  the  exception  of  one  para- 
graph, met  with  the  approval  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  it 
was  not  that  which  was  eventually  adopted.  If  it  had 
been  adopted,  the  fate  of  the  Imperial  Institute  might 
possibly  have  been  different  ;  but  the  scheme  is  of  interest 
in  itself,  not  only  as  showing  the  practical  bent  of  Play- 
fair's  mind,  and  the  lessons  he  had  learnt  from  his  pro- 
longed experience  in  connection  with  scientific  and  in- 
dustrial exhibitions,  but  because  of  the  evidence  it  affords 
of  the  pertinacity  with  which  he  fought  for  the  great  object 
of  his  public  life — the  maintenance  and  improvement  of 
a  system  of  scientific  and  technical  instruction. 

So  long  as  South  Kensington  continues  to  exist  in  its 
present  state,  there  will  be  no  need  to  raise  any  monument 
to  the  memory  of  Lyon  Playfair.  That  piece  of  ground, 
stretching  from  the  Kensington  High  Road  to  Cromwell 
Road,  which  the  Commissioners  of  the  1851  Exhibition 
found  a  mere  region  of  dairy  farms  and  meadows,  is  now 
covered  with  a  unique  collection  of  buildings  devoted  to 
great  national  and  Imperial  purposes.  If  we  except  the 
Imperial  Institute — shortly  to  become  the  home  of  the 
London  University — and  the  Natural  History  Museum, 
all  these  buildings,  and  the  institutions  which  are  housed 
in  them,  are  more  or  less  the  offspring  of  the  Great 
Exhibition  of  1851.  The  national  memorial  to  the  Prince 
Consort  most  fittingly  looks  down  upon  this  group  of 
palaces  devoted  to  the  advancement  of  the  arts  and 
sciences,  and  to  the  instruction  of  the  British  people  in  the 
practical  knowledge  which  is  needed  to  enable  them  to 
hold  their  place  in  the  world.  Prince  Albert  was  the 
father  of  the  noble  scheme,  and  to  him  this  country  owes 
a  debt  that  it  can  never  forget  or  refuse  to  acknowledge. 
But  I  do  not  claim  for  Playfair  more  than  is  his  due  when 
I  say  that  among  all  the  eminent  men  wTho  served  under 
the  Prince  Consort  there  was  none  who  was  able  to  render 


SERVICES   TO   SCIENCE   AND   EDUCATION.  453 

such  efficient  service  in  carrying  forward  to  completion 
the  original  ideas  which  led  to  the  foundation  of  South 
Kensington,  and  in  developing  those  ideas  in  harmony 
with  our  widening  knowledge  and  our  growing  sense  of  the 
national  needs,  as  that  which  he  supplied.  The  reader  has 
been  told  of  the  part  he  took  in  connection  with  the 
realisation  of  the  "  fairy  dream "  of  the  Prince  Consort. 
More  fortunate  than  his  illustrious  leader,  he  lived  to  see 
the  great  scheme  of  the  South  Kensington  Home  of  Light 
and  Learning  brought  almost  to  its  completion.  In  his 
green  old  age,  when  he  drove  from  his  house  in  Onslow 
Gardens  to  the  Park,  his  eye  would  brighten  as  he  passed 
the  range  of  stately  buildings  where  the  great  schools  and 
institutions,  to  the  foundation  of  which  he  had  given  so 
many  years  of  unselfish  toil  and  thought,  have  found  a 
worthy  home.  Of  all  the  rewards  of  his  life  of  labour, 
there  was  none  dearer  to  him  than  the  knowledge  that  in 
these  buildings  were  embodied  the  fruits  of  his  own  self- 
sacrificing  efforts.  He  had  been  one  of  the  chief  instru- 
ments in  securing  this  potential  wealth  of  learning  and 
enlightenment  for  the  land  he  loved,  and  in  providing 
these  noble  palaces  for  the  people.  To  few  public  servants 
has  so  great  a  reward  fallen  ;  by  none  could  it  have 
been  more  highly  valued. 

But  as  his  life  drew  to  an  end  he  was  ever  conscious 
of  one  blot  upon  the  plan,  one  glaring  defect  that  still 
remained  to  be  remedied.  In  spite  of  all  the  appeals  that 
had  been  made  by  himself  and  others,  the  two  great 
institutions  which  were  the  first  and  most  direct  fruits  of 
the  Exhibition  of  1851,  and  with  which  he  had  been 
associated  from  their  birth,  remained  without  a  fitting 
home.  The  Art  Museum  was  still  housed  in  part  in  the 
old  Brompton  "  boilers,"  and  in  scattered  buildings  that 
were  a  disfigurement  to  their  stately  surroundings  ;  and  his 
own  especial  child — truly  the  child  of  his  love — the  Royal 


454  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

College  of  Science,  was  confined  for  the  most  part  to  a 
series  of  hovels  that  were  almost  squalid  in  their  meanness 
and  inconvenience.  He  resolved  that,  if  possible,  this 
discreditable  condition  should  not  continue,  and  that  the 
South  Kensington  Museum  and  the  science  collections  and 
class-rooms  should  be  provided  with  homes  worthy  of  their 
importance  as  great  national  institutions. 

In  the  summer  of  1897  the  country  was  to  celebrate 
the  completion  of  the  sixtieth  year  of  the  Queen's  reign. 
Many  projects  were  suggested  as  to  the  best  way  of  com- 
memorating this  Diamond  Jubilee.  To  Playfair  one  mode 
of  celebration  seemed  to  be  superior  to  all  others.  On 
February  8th,  having  first  ascertained  that  Her  Majesty 
was  inclined  to  look  favourably  on  the  suggestion,  he 
wrote  to  the  '  Times '  as  follows  : — 

"  The  proposals  to  celebrate  the  Queen's  Jubilee  are  chiefly 
philanthropic  or  local,  and  depend  upon  private  subscriptions. 
Everyone  will  wish  them  success.  But,  so  far  as  I  have  observed, 
there  is  no  proposal  to  celebrate  the  auspicious  event  by  a  per- 
manent national  memorial  out  of  public  funds.  In  the  year  1835  a 
Committee  of  the  House  of  Commons  was  appointed  'to  inquire 
into  the  best  means  of  extending  a  knowledge  of  the  arts  and  of  the 
principles  of  design  among  the  people  (especially  the  manufacturing 
population)  of  the  country.'  In  1837,  the  first  year  of  Her  Majesty's 
reign,  a  vote  was  taken,  and  a  Museum  and  School  of  Design  were 
opened  at  Somerset  House.  This  initial  effort  to  promote  technical 
education  has  developed  into  the  magnificent  art  collections  and  art 
instruction  at  South  Kensington.  For  the  purposes  of  technical 
instruction  in  art  these  collections  are  superior  to  any  in  Europe. 
Berlin  and  Vienna  have  avowedly  founded  new  museums  on  the 
English  type,  while  Paris  has  re-arranged  her  museums  to  some 
extent  in  the  like  way. 

"  The  Museum  at  South  Kensington  was  opened  by  Her  Majesty, 
accompanied  by  the  Prince  Consort,  on  June  22,  1857.  ^  was  due 
to  the  constant  care  and  support  of  the  Prince  Consort  that  the 
collections  assumed  their  national  importance.  Parliament  sup- 
ported the  Museum  and  Schools  with  liberality,  having  spent  on 
buildings  upwards  of  £400,000.  Since  1884  the  energies  of  the 
nation  seem  to  have  been  exhausted,  for  though  steps  have  been 
taken  at  various  times  to  complete  the  Museum,  nothing  has  come 
of  the   good   intentions   of  the    Government.       In    1891    a  limited 


SERVICES  TO  SCIENCE   AND   EDUCATION.  455 

competition  of  designs  for  the  completion  of  the  facade  was  invited 
by  the  Office  of  Works,  and  the  selected  plans  were  exhibited  in 
the  library  of  the  House  of  Commons,  and  in  the  Museum.  In  the 
faith  that  Parliament  would  ultimately  complete  the  Museum,  the 
public  have  actively  co-operated  in  enriching  the  collections  by 
giving  or  bequeathing  to  the  nation  objects  of  art  to  the  value  of 
considerably  more  than  a  million  sterling. 

"The  position  of  the  Museum  at  the  present  time  is,  that  its 
collections  are  splendid ;  the  rooms  for  exhibition  are  good,  though 
inadequate  in  extent ;  but  the  Museum  itself  has  no  fitting  setting. 
In  front  of  it  there  are  bare  brick  walls,  '  the  Brompton  boilers,' 
shabby  railway  vans  and  sheds,  and  altogether  a  general  squalor 
which  humiliates  the  nation  in  the  eyes  of  foreigners  who  come  in 
large  numbers  to  visit  the  Museum.  Is  the  nation  so  poverty- 
stricken  that  it  cannot  complete  what  Parliament  has  always 
intended  to  finish  as  a  great  national  possession  ? 

"  My  early  official  connection  with  the  Museum  during  its  organi- 
sation, and  my  later  Parliamentary  responsibility  for  it  when  Vice- 
President  of  the  Council,  may  perhaps  justify  me  in  suggesting  that 
the  completion  of  the  Museum  would  be  a  worthy  public  memorial 
of  Her  Majesty's  long  reign.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  Queen 
takes  a  deep  interest  in  the  Museum.  In  January,  1862,  Her 
Majesty  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Lord  President  of  the  Council,  then 
Lord  Granville,  in  which  he  is  desired  to  inform  the  authorities  of 
the  Museum  that  '  it  is  Her  Majesty's  intention  to  take  the  South 
Kensington  Museum  under  her  special  and  personal  protection.' 
The  Government  might  ask  Her  Majesty's  permission  to  change  the 
meaningless  local  name  of  the  '  South  Kensington  Museum '  into 
the  honoured  national  name  of  'the  Victorian  Museum,'  and  take  a 
small  supplementary  vote  this  year  towards  the  commencement  of 
the  facade,  which  would  require  some  years  to  build.  The  small 
beginning  made  by  Parliament  in  1837  has  developed  by  1897  into  a 
great  Museum,  which  has  done  much  to  advance  the  arts,  the 
industry,  the  technical  education  and  the  enjoyment  of  the  Queen's 
subjects,  and  the  completion  of  the  Museum  would  be  welcomed  by 
them  as  a  memorial  of  the  great  benefits  which  they  have  received 
during  her  long  and  happy  reign." 

It  is  a  great  thing  to  know  how  to  strike,  but  it  is  still 
more  important  to  know  when  to  strike.  Playfair  had 
chosen  the  propitious  moment.  His  letter  produced  an 
instantaneous  response,  not  only  from  the  general  public, 
but  from  statesmen  and  leaders  in  the  educational  move- 
ment. The  newspapers  supported  his  proposal  ;  a  me- 
morial was  addressed  to  the  Government  on  the  subject, 


456  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

signed  by  many  influential  persons ;  and,  as  the  result  of 
this  happy  suggestion,  Parliament  was  induced  to  grant  a 
sum  of  .£800,000  to  be  spent  in  completing  the  Museum. 
On  the  17th  of  May,  1899,  Her  Majesty  herself  laid  the 
foundation-stone  of  the  new  buildings,  and  officially 
declared  that  henceforth  the  institution  should  be  known 
as  the  Victoria  and  Albert  Museum.  Playfair  had  passed 
away  nearly  twelve  months  before  this  ceremony  took 
place,  but  to  his  happy  and  opportune  suggestion  the 
great  work  thus  inaugurated  was  due.  It  was  his  closing 
service  to  the  great  scheme  at  South  Kensington,  his  last 
contribution  to  the  development  of  the  technical  education 
of  his  fellow-countrymen. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

THE     END. 

Adjudicating  in  the  '  Statist '  Competition— Speech  at  the  Jubilee 
Banquet  of  the  Cobden  Club — Failing  Health — Residence  at  Torquay 
—  Death  —  Letters  of  Condolence  to  Lady  Playfair  —  Burial  at 
St.  Andrews. 

In  the  year  1896  Playfair  completed  a  task  which  had 
occupied  him  for  many  months.  This  was  the  award 
of  the  prize  of  one  thousand  guineas,  offered  by  the 
proprietors  of  '  The  Statist '  for  the  best  essay  on  the 
means  of  drawing  the  Colonies  and  the  Mother  Country 
into  closer  union.  Lord  Salisbury  and  Lord  Rosebery  had 
each  been  asked  to  nominate  a  judge  to  whom  the  essays 
might  be  submitted.  Lord  Salisbury  had  nominated  the 
Marquis  of  Lome,  whilst  Playfair  was  the  choice  of  Lord 
Rosebery.  No  fewer  than  136  essays  were  submitted  to 
the  judges,  and  as  each  was  of  considerable  length,  the 
work  of  selecting  the  best  was  no  light  one.  Xor  was  this 
difficulty  diminished  by  the  fact  that  each  of  the  dis- 
tinguished judges  had  his  own  views  upon  political  and 
economic  questions.  In  their  Judgment,  dated  April  20th, 
1896,  they  mentioned  eight  essays  which  seemed  to  them 
to  be  of  conspicuous  merit.  "  We  had  no  difficulty,"  they 
declared,  "as  judges,  in  selecting  these  eight  essays  for  their 
conspicuous  ability,  but  we  were  unable  to  agree  as  to 
which  essay  would  receive  the  prize.  One  of  us  was 
named  as  a  judge  by  Lord  Salisbury,  and  the  other  by 
Lord  Rosebery.  Our  economical  views  were  known  to  be 
different  when  we  were  appointed,  and  it  is  natural  that  we 


458  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

should  differ  as  to  the  lines  of  policy  which  would  be  most 
advantageous  for  a  fiscal  union  of  the  Empire.  We  pro- 
pose, therefore,  that  the  prize  of  one  thousand  guineas 
should  be  divided  into  two  equal  sums  of  five  hundred 
guineas,  and  that  two  prizes  instead  of  one  should  be  given 
for  two  essays  best  representing  among  those  competing 
the  two  views  of  taxation  which  are  entertained  in  the 
plans  proposed  for  the  fiscal  union  of  the  Empire.  The 
majority  of  the  self-governing  Colonies  have  been  in  favour 
of  placing  differential  duties  on  foreign  goods,  and  we  both 
agree  that  the  essay  best  deserving  the  prize  for  this  policy 
of  fiscal  union  is  that  signed  '  Defence,  not  Defiance.' 
Legislation  in  the  United  Kingdom,  on  the  other  hand,  is 
now  based  on  the  system  of  Free  Trade,  and  does  not  tax 
foreign  imports  of  food  and  raw  materials  in  favour  of  a 
free  importation  of  like  articles  from  the  Colonies.  The 
most  able  essay  representing  the  policy  of  Free  Trade  is 
that  with  the  motto  '  Scrutator,'  and  we  both  agree  that 
this  essay  should  have  the  other  prize." 

This  was  not  perhaps  an  ideal  award,  but  it  fairly  met 
the  merits  of  the  case.  Playfair,  it  need  hardly  be  said, 
was  the  judge  who  insisted  that  the  policy  of  Free  Trade 
should  have  its  representative  in  the  decision  of  this  great 
competition. 

In  the  summer  of  1896  his  most  important  public 
appearance  was  at  the  Jubilee  banquet  of  the  Cobden 
Club,  when  he  was  selected  to  speak  in  response  to  the 
toast  of  The  Club.  Xo  better  choice  could  have  been 
made.  For  half  a  century  at  least  he  had  been  instant, 
in  season  and  out  of  season,  in  maintaining  the  necessity 
of  Free  Trade  for  the  development  of  the  resources  of  a 
country  like  ours.  His  simple  and  unadorned  eloquence 
had  done  much  to  keep  the  working  men  of  Yorkshire 
faithful  to  the  principles  of  Richard  Cobden  ;  and  through 
all  his  writings  and  in  all  his  political  career  he  had  main- 


THE   END.  459 

tained,  in  spite  of  temporary  discouragements,  the  triumph 
of  the  Free  Trade  policy.  In  his  speech,  in  responding  to 
the  toast  of  The  Club,  he  offered  no  apologies  for  the 
principles  upon  which  it  was  founded.  He  took  his  stand, 
according  to  his  custom,  upon  facts  and  figures,  and 
demonstrated  the  truth  that  under  Free  Trade  English 
commerce  has  grown  as  it  never  did  before.  "  There  have 
been  two  recent  estimates,"  he  said,  "  of  the  value  of  the 
world's  commerce — an  official  report  of  the  United  States, 
which  places  it  at  three  thousand  three  hundred  and  one 
millions  sterling,  and  the  other  by  Mr  Gustav  Runnig,  of 
Vienna,  who  gives  it  as  three  thousand  one  hundred  and 
thirteen  millions.  Either  of  these  will  do  for  my  purpose, 
which  is  to  point  out  that  the  commerce  of  the  British 
Empire  in  the  year  of  our  Jubilee  is  about  one-third  of  the 
whole  commerce  of  the  world.  According  to  these  recent 
reports,  hardly  one-third  of  the  entire  world's  commerce 
furnishes  the  population  with  food  products,  while  two- 
thirds  supply  the  other  necessities  and  luxuries  of  life.  In 
regard  to  the  manufactured  goods,  three  nations — 
England,  Germany,  and  France — appropriate  between 
them  sixty  per  cent,  of  the  trade  of  the  world  ;  and  of 
this  England  takes  nearly  thirty  per  cent,  as  her  share, 
Germany  coming  next  with  nearly  eighteen  per  cent.,  and 
France  third  with  thirteen  per  cent.  Upon  such  a  splendid 
position  for  the  British  Empire  in  the  commerce  of  the 
world  we  Free  Traders  may  be  content  to  rest  our  case. 
We  believe  Free  Trade  and  great  trade  to  be  synonymous 
terms.  .  .  .  The  demand  that  England  should  re- 
nounce the  freedom  of  her  trade  in  order  to  differentiate 
in  favour  of  the  Colonies  requires  criticism,  because  it  has 
received  a  sort  of  conditional  support  from  a  responsible 
Minister  of  the  Crown.  It  is  a  policy  which  is  politically 
dangerous,  and  would  be  economically  disastrous  to  our 
working  classes  and  to  our  productive  industries.     We  are 


460  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFA1R. 

all  most  anxious  to  strengthen  the  bonds  which  unite  the 
Colonies  with  the  Mother  Country,  but  there  can  be  no 
fiscal  union  while  England  is  based  on  commercial  freedom 
and  the  Colonies  on  Protection.  The  Colonies  may  be 
right  in  upholding  Protection  in  their  own  interests,  and 
England  may  be  right  in  upholding  Free  Trade,  but  both 
must  be  proved  to  be  wrong  before  we  can  have  a  Zoll- 
verein.  For  the  last  fifty  years  Free  Trade  has  given  Great 
Britain  a  predominance  in  the  world  of  commerce.  She 
is  now  Queen  of  the  realms  of  commerce  and  Mistress  of 
the  Seas.  By  continuing  steadily  in  the  principles  of 
Free  Exchange,  she  will  continue  to  maintain  her 
glorious  supremacy  in  the  trade  and  navigation  of  the 
world." 

There  was,  it  will  be  seen,  no  wavering  on  the  part 
of  Playfair  in  his  adherence  to  the  doctrines  which  he  had 
held  so  long  and  maintained  so  stoutly.  Whatever  might 
be  the  passing  currents  of  opinion  with  regard  to  economic 
questions,  he  remained  a  Free  Trader  pure  and  simple 
to  the  day  of  his  death. 

Gradually  during  this  year,  1896,  and  the  following  year, 
Playfair  withdrew  from  the  multifarious  appointments 
which  he  had  held  in  the  public  service.  He  felt  at  last 
a  steady  diminution  in  his  powers  of  work.  The  machine 
which  had  run  so  long  and  so  smoothly  began  to  give 
signs  of  failing  force,  and  he  was  under  the  painful  com- 
pulsion of  retiring  from  many  positions  which  he  had 
held  with  great  advantage  to  the  nation  of  which  he  was 
proud  to  esteem  himself  a  servant.  His  retirement 
from  his  official  work  on  the  Royal  Commission  of  the 
Exhibition  of  185 1  has  already  been  recorded.  From  many 
other  quarters,  as  he  laid  down  his  arms,  he  met  with 
recognition  which  was  deeply  gratifying  to  him,  and  which 
proved  that  he  had  not  worked  in  vain.  Sir  John  Simon, 
the   distinguished   sanitary   reformer,   writing    to   him   to 


THE   END.  461 

acknowledge  an  honour  which  had  been  conferred  upon 
him  by  the  Institute  of  Public  Health,  said  : 

"  You  remind  me  that  we  two  are  old  fellow-workers 
for  the  Public  Health.  We  indeed  are  now,  I  believe,  the 
oldest  who  have  been  sharers  in  that  battle,  and  you 
referred  to  me  as  two  years  your  senior  in  life  ;  but  you 
pass  without  note  the  fact  that  long  before  I  had  given 
my  serious  attention  to  the  cause  in  which  I  afterwards 
became  a  worker,  you  were  on  the  Royal  Commission 
which  in  1843-45  prepared  the  way  for  future  Officers  of 
Health  ;  and  you  leave  it  for  me  to  remember,  as  most 
gratefully  I  do,  how  you  were  already  a  participator  in 
the  fruit-giving  work  of  that  Commission,  of  which  you 
are  now  the  one  survivor,  in  days  when  I  was  yet  a  mere 
student  of  pathology  and  surgery.  Believe  me  that  the 
honour  which  has  just  been  conferred  on  me,  whatever 
charm  it  may  bring  as  a  tribute  from  the  workers  of  later 
years,  has  not  its  least  value  to  me  in  the  fact  that  you — 
the  true  patriarch  of  our  cause — have  been  willing  to  take 
part  in  the  gift,  and  to  enrich  me  by  your  most  kind 
of  letters." 

These  graceful  and  touching  words  deserve  to  be  in- 
vested with  a  wider  significance  than  that  which  was 
given  to  them  by  Sir  John  Simon.  Play  fair  was  the 
patriarch  in  many  other  noble  causes  besides  that  of  labour 
for  the  public  health,  and  it  was  with  keen  sorrow  that 
he  recognised  the  fact  that  his  term  of  unselfish  service 
was  drawing  to  a  close. 

Onslow  Gardens, 
Play  fair  to  Sir  Lambert  Play  fair.  December  8th,  1896. 

I  congratulate  you  heartily  on  the  warm  and  friendly 
feelings  shown  to  you  both  on  leaving  Algiers.1  Mr  Ark- 
wright's  address  to  the  meeting  was  in  excellent  taste,  and 
not  the  least  over-stated.     It  represents  an  appreciation  by 

1  Sir   Lambert  Playfair   had   been   for   many   years  Consul-General  at 

Algiers. 


462  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

your  fellow-countrymen  that  you  have  a  right  to  be  proud 
of.  I  am  glad  that  the  church  will  have  a  permanent 
record  of  your  services  in  Algiers.  Thirty  years  form  a 
long  period  of  public  service  at  any  time,  and  one  quite 
remarkable  when  you  recollect  in  what  a  low  condition 
of  health  you  were  on  your  return  from  Aden,  and  the 
doubts  most  of  us  felt  whether  you  would  be  fit  for  public 
work  again.  We  Play  fairs  seem  to  have  a  latent  vitality 
in  us  which  comes  out  with  wonderful  recuperative  force. 
In  the  United  States  this  autumn  I  thought  the  close  of 
my  work  had  come,  but  now  I  think  I  may  still  be  able 
to  go  on  for  a  year  or  two  more,  if  such  a  hope  is  not 
too  audacious  at  my  age.  .  .  .  We  propose  to  go 
to  St.  Andrews  for  August  and  September.  I  am  glad  to 
hear  that  you  have  bought  a  house  in  St.  Andrews.  It 
is  sufficiently  near  that  prelatical  chapel  to  rejoice  your 
hearts  with  embroidered  robes  and  genuflections.  I  had 
not  my  compass  with  me  when  I  saw  it,  but  I  fancied 
its  orientation  was  perfect. 

During  the  winter  of  1896-7  Playfair's  health  was  by  no 
means  good.  His  physical  strength  began  to  fail,  and  he 
was  no  longer  able  to  indulge  his  old  love  of  walking.  But 
his  spirits  were  as  buoyant  as  ever,  and  he  still  retained 
that  interest  in  life  which  may  be  said  to  have  remained 
youthful  to  the  very  end.  It  was  not  until  the  winter  of 
1897-98  that  serious  alarm  began  to  be  felt  by  his  wife  and 
family  with  regard  to  his  health.  It  was  believed  that  the 
winter  in  London  would  be  too  trying  for  him,  as  he 
suffered  from  attacks  of  bronchitis,  and  from  a  low  fever 
which  refused  to  yield  to  any  remedies.  The  Villa  Marina 
at  Torquay  was  secured  as  a  suitable  place  in  which  he 
might  spend  the  winter  months  away  from  the  fogs  of 
London. 

Villa  Marina,  Parkhill,  Torquay, 
Play  fair  to  his  Son.  January  yd,  1898. 

Many   happy  returns   of   the   New   Year  to   you   and 
yours.      I  am  so  much  better  and  able  to  take  walks  in 


THE   END.  463 

our  beautiful  grounds  here  that  I  have  no  apology  for  not 
personally  thanking  you  for  your  many  presents,  so  many 
that  I  can  scarcely  enumerate  them— book-rest,  box  of 
cigars,  partridges,  wild  ducks,  etc.  One  of  the  latter  I 
had  for  my  dinner  to-day.  I  have  appreciated  them  all 
thoroughly.  You  got  a  Turkish  medal  for  Christmas,  and 
the  Royal  Institute  of  Public  Health  has  voted  me  the 
Harben  Gold  Medal  "for  distinguished  services  to  public 
health  during  the  last  fifty  years."  It  has  only  been 
twice  bestowed  before — on  Sir  John  Simon,  so  long  a  Chief 
Health  Officer  of  the  Government,  and  on  Professor 
Pettenkoffer  of  Munich.  The  scenery  here  is  absolutely 
perfect  and  our  grounds  delicious.  We  are  all  as  happy 
as  possible,  and  my  convalescence  is  steady  and  rapid. 

The  Harben  Gold  Medal,  to  which  reference  is  made  in 
the  foregoing  letter,  is  the  highest  distinction  which  it  is  in 
the  power  of  the  Royal  Institute  of  Public  Health  to 
confer.  The  presentation  of  the  medal  was  made  by  the 
President,  Dr  W.  R.  Smith,  in  a  letter  in  which  on  behalf 
of  the  Institute  he  bore  testimony  to  Playfair's  services 
in  promoting  during  more  than  half  a  century  all  measures 
for  improving  the  health  and  social  condition  of  the 
people  of  this  country.  In  acknowledging  the  honour  on 
December  29th,  1897,  Play  fair  wrote  : — 

"  Your  letter  is  peculiarly  gratifying  to  me.  It  is  true 
that  since  1843  I  have  taken  a  keen  interest  in  the  pro- 
motion of  public  health,  and  have  endeavoured  to  the  best 
of  my  ability  to  improve  it.  In  those  early  days  I  had 
the  advantage  of  the  active  co-operation  of  great  sani- 
tarians— Sir  Edwin  Chadwick,  Dr  Southwood  Smith,  Sir 
Richard  Owen,  Dr  Neil  Arnot,  Dr  Budd  of  Bristol,  Dr 
Ransome  of  Manchester,  and  others,  to  back  me  in  my 
efforts  to  lead  the  Royal  Commission  on  Public  Health  (of 
which  I  was  a  member)  in  the  path  of  progress,  and 
to  overcome  the  obstacles  of  uninstructed  municipal  and 
parochial  authorities.      Without  the  combination  of  such 


464  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

powerful  sanitarians  even  the  Royal  Commission  could  not 
have  succeeded  in  amending  sanitary  law.  We  met  at 
stated  times  at  simple  dinners  in  each  other's  houses  to 
discuss  sanitary  progress,  and  called  ourselves  '  Friends  in 
Council.'  Those  were  days  when  we  had  to  grope  for 
truth,  as  bacteria  and  their  congeners  were  unknown  in 
their  relation  to  disease." 

Even  during  his  stay  at  Torquay  he  bore  the  burden  of 
his  fourscore  years  so  lightly  that  it  seemed  impossible  to 
associate  him  with  the  idea  of  advanced  age.  Nor  did  he 
fail  to  maintain  his  keen  interest  in  those  public  affairs 
which  had  filled  his  life  for  sixty  years.  Although  he 
knew  that  his  days  must  necessarily  be  numbered,  he  was 
still  as  full  as  ever  of  projects  of  work  and  of  zeal  in 
the  public  service. 

"  The  wages  of  going  on  "  were  still  the  reward  that  he 
coveted.  To  live  in  idleness  was  abhorrent  to  the  man  who 
had  scarcely  known  an  idle  day  during  all  his  life.  To  die 
in  harness  seemed  to  him  then,  as  it  had  ever  done,  to  be 
the  end  most  to  be  desired.  The  stay  at  Torquay  did  not 
relieve  him  from  the  distressing  indisposition  from  which  he 
suffered — a  recurring  fever  which,  raising  his  temperature, 
sapped  his  strength,  and  for  which  his  physicians  were 
unable  to  discover  any  remedy.  In  April,  with  the  return 
of  spring,  he  desired  to  go  back  to  London,  in  order  that 
he  might  take  his  part  in  the  public  engagements  for  which 
he  might  still  have  sufficient  strength.  Of  these,  one  to 
which  he  looked  forward  with  the  greatest  eagerness  was 
the  dinner  to  be  given  to  the  past-presidents  of  the  Chemical 
Society,  of  which  he  had  been  one  of  the  founders,  and  of 
which  he  was  the  oldest  surviving  president. 

Chemical  Society, 
Burlington  House,  Piccadilly,  W., 

Professor  Dewar  to  Play/air.  M<*y  9th<  l898- 

Dear  Lord  Playfair, — For  some  time  past  the 
Council  of  the    Chemical    Societv    have    had    under  their 


THE   END.  465 

consideration  the  measures  that  should  be  taken  to  com- 
memorate the  fact  that  you  and  six  other  past-presidents 
who  have  rendered  conspicuous  service  to  their  science, 
this  year  complete  fifty  years'  fellowship  of  the  Society, 
viz.  Sir  J.  H.  Gilbert,  Sir  E.  Frankland,  Professor  Odling, 
Sir  F.  A.  Abel,  Bt.,  Dr  A.  W.  Williamson,  and  Dr  J.  H. 
Gladstone.  The  Council  have  now  determined  that  the 
event  shall  be  celebrated  by  a  banquet  at  the  Hotel 
Metropole  on  Thursday,  June  9th. 

We  are  desired  by  the  Council  and  Fellows  to  express 
the  hope  that  you  will  honour  them  with  your  presence  on 
this  occasion,  which  it  is  intended  to  make  a  memorable 
one  in  the  history  of  the  Society. 

All  the  foreign  members  have  been  specially  invited,  as 
well  as  a  number  of  distinguished  guests  who  are  interested 
in  the  progress  of  chemistry  in  this  country. 

We  are,  dear  Lord  Play  fair, 

Yours  very  faithfully, 

James  Dewar 

President. 

This  dinner  he  agreed  to  attend,  and  accordingly,  on  the 
15th  of  April,  returned  to  town.  Before  the  date  fixed  for 
the  dinner  he  had  passed  away,  and  the  celebration  was  in 
consequence  postponed  for  several  months. 

After  his  return  to  his  house  in  Onslow  Gardens  there 
was  for  a  time  a  marked  diminution  in  the  fever,  and  as  a 
new  treatment  had  been  decided  upon,  both  he  and  his 
family  felt  hopeful  as  to  the  future.  Unfortunately  he  got 
a  slight  additional  cold  early  in  May,  and  on  the  21st  of 
that  month  he  had,  to  his  own  severe  disappointment,  to 
spend  his  eightieth  birthday  in  bed.  Many  friends  sent 
kind  inquiries  and  congratulations  to  cheer  him  in  his 
illness,  and  he  evidently  looked  forward  to  an  earl}-  con- 
valescence. Mr  Gladstone's  death  on  the  19th  of  May  had 
affected  him  profoundly,  and  on  the  day  after  his  birthday 

E  e 


466  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

he  penned  with  difficulty  the  following  letter,  writing  it 
in  bed  in  pencil,  and  giving  it  to  Lady  Playfair  in  order 
that  she  might  copy  it  out  for  Mrs  Gladstone.  It  was 
his  last  letter. 

68,  Onslow  Gardens,  South  Kensington. 
Playfair  to  Mrs  Gladstone.  May  22nd,  1898. 

Dear  Mrs  Gladstone, — During  the  long  illness  of  Mr 
Gladstone  I  was  unwilling  to  add  to  your  correspondence 
by  any  inquiries  as  to  him  and  yourself,  but  now  that  the 
greatest  and  most  true-hearted  Englishman  of  our  age  has 
passed  from  suffering  to  a  rest  of  peace  in  faith,  I  ask  your 
permission  to  express  my  wife's  and  my  own  intense 
sympathy  with  you  and  your  family.  I  admired  and  loved 
Mr  Gladstone,  not  only  for  his  great  qualities,  but  for  his 
intense  belief  in  all  eternal  and  temporal  truths.  Words 
fail  in  showing  appreciation  of  his  magnificent  character, 
but  you  will  allow  us  not  to  be  altogether  silent,  but  to  add 
to  the  expression  of  universal  sympathy  with  yourself.  My 
wife  writes  this  for  me,  as  owing  to  illness  I  am  unable  to 
do  so  myself. 

On  Friday,  May  27th,  it  was  discovered  that  slight 
congestion  of  one  lung  had  set  in,  and  that  his  strength 
was  failing.  On  the  following  day,  that  on  which  his  old 
chief  was  buried  in  Westminster  Abbey,  his  cough  became 
incessant,  and  his  weakness  increased  to  an  alarming 
extent.  Even  then,  however,  the  cheerfulness  which  had 
distinguished  him  throughout  his  life  was  fully  maintained. 
Thoughtfulness  for  those  around  him,  and  above  all  for  the 
wife  who  watched  over  him  with  so  devoted  a  care,  was  as 
marked  as  it  had  been  at  any  moment  of  his  life.  That 
day,  though  unable  to  read,  lie  looked  over  some  of  the 
books  in  which  he  had  collected  newspaper  extracts  re- 
ferring to  those  great  public  questions  in  which  he  had 
taken  so  deep  an  interest,  and  was  amused  when  he  came 
upon  a  caricature  of  himself,  describing  to  his  sister-in-law 
what  it  was,  and  what  it  meant.     On  Whit  Sunday  it  was 


THE   END.  467 

seen  that  the  end  was  rapidly  approaching,  and  the  absent 
members  of  his  family  were  summoned  to  his  side.  He 
himself  suffered  no  pain,  and  was  only  conscious  of  a  great 
weariness,  and  of  a  strong  desire  to  sleep.  About  nine 
o'clock  in  the  evening  (Whit  Sunday,  May  29th)  he  asked 
that  the  lights  should  be  put  out.  They  were  lowered  at 
his  request.  When  this  was  done  he  said  :  "  Now  I  think 
I  can  sleep.  Good  night,  good  night."  And  in  a  few 
moments  he  had  passed  away  without  a  sound  or  a 
struggle.  Those  who  were  with  him  throughout  his  last 
illness  describe  how  they  never  heard  him  utter  an  impatient 
word  or  a  murmur  at  the  successive  disappointments  which 
befell  his  hopes  of  improvement.  Not  only  his  cheerfulness 
but  his  keen  sense  of  humour  never  seemed  to  forsake  him, 
and  when  members  of  his  family  visited  him  in  his  sick 
room  he  would  joke  with  them  as  of  old,  and  talk  with 
tender  affection  of  their  domestic  affairs.  His  family  life, 
for  reasons  already  stated,  has  not  played  a  prominent  part 
in  this  biography.  One  or  two  letters  dealing  with  purely 
domestic  matters  have  been  designedly  inserted,  not  because 
they  bore  upon  that  chronicle  of  never-ending  work  of 
which  his  life  chiefly  consisted,  but  in  order  that  some 
side-light  might  be  thrown  upon  his  private  character, 
and  the  depth  of  his  family  affections.  "  No  letter  he 
ever  wrote,"  says  one  of  his  children,  "  could  give  an 
idea  of  his  deep  and  intense  sympathy,  of  his  loving 
help  in  any  trouble  to  those  dear  to  him,  and  even  to 
strangers.  I  never  in  the  whole  of  my  life  have  seen 
him  cross,  impatient,  or  known  him  speak  a  harsh  word 
to  anyone."  Another  of  his  children  has  pointed  out  to 
me  that  his  correspondence  with  them,  dealing  as  it  so 
frequently  did  with  practical  matters  of  business,  afforded 
but  little  clue  to  his  real  character.  "  He  made  himself 
charming  to  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact,  and  was  as 
interesting  to  a  young  person   as  to  the  most  advanced 


468  MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 

scientist ;  he  had  such  a  faculty  of  adapting  his  conversa- 
tion to  all  people  and  circumstances.  Children  were  par- 
ticularly devoted  to  him,  and  he  delighted  in  the  company 
of  the  young.  He  was  generous  to  a  fault,  and  gave  away 
a  great  deal  in  charity  without  anybody  knowing  about  it. 
Some  years  before  his  death  he  got  a  postal  order  for 
17s.  6d.  The  anonymous  person  who  sent  him  this  sum 
wrote,  by  way  of  explanation  :  '  You  may  not  remember 
the  circumstance,  but  many  years  ago  I  accosted  you  one 
night  in  the  docks  at  Liverpool,  and  begged  for  assistance. 
You  found  that  you  had  no  money,  but  you  took  off  your 
coat  and  gave  me  your  waistcoat.  Since  then  I  have  made 
a  fortune,  and  now  repay  you.'  "  The  incident  was  one 
which  had  passed  out  of  Play  fair's  mind,  and  which  he  had 
never  mentioned  to  others. 

His  death,  occurring  as  it  did  within  a  few  days  of  Mr 
Gladstone's,  took  place  at  a  time  when  the  country  was  so 
deeply  absorbed  in  the  loss  of  one  great  Englishman  that 
it  might  have  been  supposed  that  it  would  hardly  be  able 
to  take  note  of  the  departure  of  another  true  and  tried 
public  servant,  who  had  so  long  been  one  of  Mr  Glad- 
stone's most  zealous  and  active  lieutenants.  Yet,  when  the 
news  that  Playfair  had  passed  away  became  known,  count- 
less persons  in  every  rank  of  life,  who  had  been  brought  in 
contact  with  him,  hastened  to  bear  testimony  to  his  worth, 
and  to  their  own  sense  of  the  loss  which  the  country  had 
suffered  in  his  death.  From  among  the  many  letters 
received  by  Lady  Playfair,  I  select  one  or  two  as  being 
specially  significant  and  noteworthy. 

II.R.H.  The  Prince  of  Wales  to  Lady  Playfair.    May  3ist. 

Dear  Lady  Playfair, — To-day  the  sad  news  reached 
me  that  your  kind  and  excellent  husband  had  "  passed 
away,"  so  I  do  not  lose  a  moment  in  expressing  my 
deepest  sympathy  with  you  at  the  terrible  loss  you  have 


THE   END.  469 

sustained.  I  have  had  the  advantage  of  knowing  your 
distinguished  husband  even  before  I  was  ten  years  old,  and 
during  those  many  years  I  was  on  the  terms  of  the  most 
intimate  friendship  with  him.  In  him  I  have  lost  a 
Master  (as  I  am  proud  to  say  I  was  his  pupil),  an  adviser, 
and  a  friend,  and  I  shall  always  mourn  and  regret 
him  most  deeply. 

The  Princess  begs  me  also  to  express  her  most  sincere 
condolence  with  you,  and  I  remain,  most  sincerely  yours, 

Albert  Edward. 

POSILIPO, 

The  Earl  of  Rose  be ry  to  Lady  Play/air.  J*ne  7th,  1898. 

My  dear  Lady  Playfair, — I  see  with  deep  regret 
the  news  of  the  departure  of  your  husband,  and  I  must 
send  a  line  to  express  my  sincerest  sympathy. 

He  was  one  of  the  wisest,  fairest,  and  most  loyal  men 
that  I  have  ever  known  in  public  life  ;  and  his  devotion  to 
work  and  to  duty  has  never,  I  think,  been  surpassed. 

With  all  this,  he  preserved  a  perpetual  youth  which 
makes  it  hard  to  believe  that  he  has  passed  away  in  a 
ripe  old  age. 

It  must  be  an  unspeakable  comfort  to  you  to  remember 
at  this  time  how  you  sweetened  and  brightened  his  life. 
But  at  such  a  moment  there  is  no  such  thing  as  comfort  ; 
there  is  only  mitigation.  Such  as  it  is,  may  it  abundantly 
be  yours  ! 

Believe  me, 

Yours  sincerely, 

Rosebery. 

Royal  Institution  of  Great  Britain, 

Professor  Dewar  to  Lady  Playfair.  May  2,1st,  1898. 

Dear  Lady  Playfair, — I  cannot  find  words  to 
express  my  sympathy  with  you  on  account  of  the  sudden 
bereavement  that  has  fallen  in  the  passing  of  your  great 
and  illustrious  husband,  Lord  Playfair.  These  words  will 
not  tend  to  assuage  your  grief.     My  excuse  must  be  a  life- 


470  MEMOIRS   OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 

long  love  and  veneration  for  the  great  departed.  He  was 
my  Master  in  everything,  and  I  owe  all  to  him.  If  he  had 
only  been  spared  a  little  longer,  I  wanted  so  much  to  have 
told  him  that  at  last  hydrogen  had  succumbed,  and  about 
the  new  work  I  have  in  hand.  But  it  was  not  to  be.  He 
has  gone  full  of  years  and  honours.  When  will  we  see  his 
like  again  ?  His  memory  will  ever  remain  with  me  as  one 
of  the  most  abiding  treasures  of  my  life.  Mrs  Dewar  is 
deeply  grieved.  Lord  Playfair  was  at  our  marriage. 
Wishing  you  all  consolation  and  peace, 

Yours  most  faithfully, 

James  Dewar. 

On  Saturday,  June  4th,  Playfair  was  laid  to  rest  in  the 
burial-place  which  had  been  chosen  for  him  during  his  life- 
time, under  the  shadow  of  the  grey  ruins  of  the  old 
cathedral  of  St.  Andrews,  and  within  sound  of  the  sea 
beside  which  he  had  played  as  a  boy.  He  was  honoured 
with  a  public  funeral  by  the  authorities  of  the  city.  The 
Senatus  Academicus  of  the  University,  which  he  had 
represented  so  long  in  Parliament,  attended  officially,  and 
the  Queen  and  Prince  of  Wales  were  personally  repre- 
sented. There  was  a  great  gathering  of  the  representatives 
of  science  and  the  public  services,  whilst  the  members  of  his 
own  family  were  there  without  exception.  His  coffin  bore 
the  following  inscription  : — "  Lyon  Playfair,  first  Baron 
Playfair  of  St.  Andrews,  P.C.,  G.C.B.,  F.R.S.,  LL.D.  Born 
21st  May,  1818  ;  died  29th  May,  1898,  aged  80  years. 
'  For  so  He  giveth  His  beloved  sleep.'  "  The  long,  sweet 
sleep,  which  comes  at  the  end  to  all,  never  followed  a 
fuller  life  of  work  and  achievement  than  that  which  has 
been  imperfectly  recorded  in  these  pages. 


INDEX 


Aberdare,  Lord,  and  the  Aged  Poor 
Commission,  397-400 

Africa,  Playfair  on  the  probable 
British  destiny  in,  318 

Aged  Poor  Commission,  Playfair  and 
the,  397-400 

Agricultural  Chemistry,  Playfair's 
lectures  on,  68  ;  Liebig's  work  on, 
43.  88,  89 

Airlie,  Lord  and  Lady,  their  friend- 
ship with  Lord  and  Lady  Playfair, 

348 

Albert,  Prince  (see  Consort,  H.R.H. 
the  Prince) 

Alexander,  Professor,  32-33 

Alice,  Princess,  entertains  Playfair  at 
Kranichstein,  193-194;  her  refer- 
ence to  him  in  a  letter  to  the 
Queen,  194,  204 

Anecdotes  :  Professor  Playfair  (kins- 
man of  Lyon)  and  the  Commander- 
in-Chief  for  Scotland,  14 ;  Lyon 
Playfair  mistaken  for  the  Professor, 
15  ;  Mrs  Macdonald  (Lyon's  aunt) 
and  her  doubts  concerning  Ba- 
laam's ass,  16-17  ;  how  Sir  Hugh 
Playfair  improved  St.  Andrews, 
18-19  I  Mr  Kettle  and  his  prayers 
for  Lyon,  19  ;  Lyon  and  the  Com- 
munion "  token,"  19-20;  the  Elder 
and  the  nurse,  20 ;  Lyon  intro- 
duces himself  to  his  father,  21  ;  Dr 
Macvicar  and  his  "  popular  lec- 
tures," 22-23  '•  Lyon  and  his  brother 
George,  26 ;  his  stratagem  for 
frightening  off  marauders  at  Glas- 
gow, 34-35;  his  accidental  meeting 
with  Lady  and  Sir  Charles  Lyell, 
35-36  ;  Mrs  Livingstone  in  search 
of  her  children,  37  ;  punctuality 
handsomely  rewarded,  44 ;  Playfair 
parleys  with  labour  rioters  and 
becomes  their  hostage,  55-56 ;  a 
laboratory  accident  at  Manchester, 
56-57 ;  instances  of  Dr  Dalton's 
eccentricity,  57-58 ;  one  of  his  eyes 


taken  out  after  death  for  examina- 
tion, 58 ;  Professor  Bunsen  and 
Playfair  taken  for  tramps,  62  ; 
Sir  Edwin  Chadwick's  argument 
from  the  Devil,  64  ;  Follett 
and  the  doctrine  of  the  cor- 
relation of  forces,  72-73 ;  Fara- 
day and  the  bag  of  powder,  95  ; 
Playfair  and  the  coal-owner,  95- 
96  ;  the  Duke  of  Wellington  and 
the  Chartists,  103-4;  arresting  a 
nursemaid  and  her  charge,  104 ; 
Playfair  seized  in  Paris  as  an 
insurgent,  105-6 ;  Louis  Blanc 
tricked  by  Louis  Napoleon,  106 ; 
Sir  Henry  Cole  and  the  Great 
Exhibition,  115  ;  classifying  a 
walking-stick,  116;  a  mysterious 
Chinaman  at  the  opening  of  the 
Great  Exhibition,  120;  the  Queen 
and  the  exhibitor,  121  ;  ludicrous 
incident  at  a.  fete  at  St.  Cloud,  122  ; 
Lord  Derby  and  the  meaning  of 
"denarius;"  an  episcopal  objec- 
tion to  undraped  statues,  125 ; 
Playfair  and  the  hostile  member 
of  the  Athenaeum,  144;  confu- 
sion between  him  and  Sir  Charles 
Wheatstone,  154;  reading  secret 
ciphers,  155-56  ;  instance  of  Bab- 
bage's  enormous  egotism,  156  ;  Sir 
Edwin  Chadwick  and  his  epigram 
on  the  sanitary  condition  of  Paris, 
1 62 ;  strange  beginning  of  Playfair's 
acquaintance  with  Aries  Dufour, 
163  ;  Playfair's  generosity  towards 
a  rival,  179  ;  Sir  James  Simpson's 
adroit  defence  of  chloroform,  182- 
83 ;  his  rashness  in  trying  anaesthe- 
tics upon  himself,  183;  Owen  Jones 
on  fame,  191  ;  the  Princess  Alice 
and  the  luncheon-table,  194  ;  the 
Prince  of  Wales  and  the  boiling 
lead,  201  ;  the  Prince  Consort's 
superiority  to  jealousy,  213  ;  the 
romantic    story    of     Lord     Dun- 


472 


MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 


donald's  disgrace  and  rehabilita- 
tion, 235-39  ;  Longfellow  and  his 
English  visitors,  240;  Colonel 
Holmes  and  his  typical  Mexican, 
242 ;  temporary  adoption  of  a  young 
lady  as  daughter,  243  ;  Playfair's 
narrow  escape  from  a  railway 
disaster,  243-44  ;  Playfair  and  the 
"  electric  phenomenon,"  244-45  ; 
taken  for  a  mining  adventurer  in 
Canada,  248-49  ;  meets  an  enthusi- 
ast for  falconry,  272  ;  Playfair  and 
the  King  of  Bonny,  281  ;  and  the 
black  Bishop  of  Hayti,  281 ;  "  con- 
fidence "  men  in  New  York,  319; 
singular  communication  of  a  scien- 
tific discovery,  346;  Rustem  Pasha 
and  Sir  Edward  Bradford  both 
maimed  by  wild  beasts,  374;  Play- 
fair and  the  deaf,  dumb,  and  blind 
child,  374-75 ;  mistaken  for  a  State 
prisoner,  376-77 ;  a  clergyman  re- 
buked by  an  alderman,  391  ;  a 
colloquy  with  a  stranger,  391-92  ; 
a  Napoleonic  story,  395  ;  a  knight 
without  being  knighted,  402  ; 
Playfair  gives  his  waistcoat  to  a 
beggar,  468 
Anglo-Saxon   spirit,  Playfair  on  the, 

363-64 
Arbitration    Treaty    between    Great 

Britain    and    the    United   States, 

Playfair  on  an,  365-67,  407 
Arts,     Society    of,    and    the     Great 

Exhibition,  112 
Ashburton,    Lord    and     Lady,     and 

Playfair,  157 

B. 

Babbage,  inventor  of  the  calculating 
machine,  116,  155  ;  his  egotism, 
155-56 

Balfour,  the  Right  Hon.  A.  J.,  and 
Irish  Coercion,  384 

Bayard,  Mr  T.  F.,  American  Ambas- 
sador, and  the  Venezuelan  ques- 
tion, 416-26 

Beche,  Sir  Henry  de  la,  see  De  la 
Beche 

Berlin,  Playfair's  visit  to,  in  1841,  44 

Birmingham,  Playfair  invited  to  con- 
test one  of  the  divisions  of,  349, 

351 
Blast  Furnaces  for  the  Manufacture  of 

Iron,  Inquiry  into  the   Chemical 

Operation  of,  61-63 
Bloomfield,      Major,     son-in-law     of 

Playfair,  164 
Bradford,  Sir  Edward,  attacked  by  a 

tiger,  374 


Brand,  Mr  Speaker,  and  Playfair,  293, 
296-97 

Brewster,  Sir  David,  185-86 

British  Association,  meetings  of,  at 
Southampton,  101  ;  at  Montreal, 
345-46 ;  Playfair's  presidency  of,  at 
Aberdeen,  347-48  ;  his  presidency 
of  the  Chemical  Section  of,  429 

"Brompton  boilers,"  The,  142,  453 

Brown,  Dr  John,  Playfair's  acquaint- 
ance with,  195-96 

Buckingham  Palace,  Playfair's  inquiry 
into  the  sanitary  condition  of,  94 

Buckland,  Dr,  43  ;  meets  Playfair  at 
Drayton  Manor,59-6o ;  his  appoint- 
ment to  the  Deanery  of  West- 
minster ;  his  experiments  with  new 
viands,  69  ;  presses  Playfair's 
claims  upon  Peel,  77-78 

Buckland,  Frank,  60,  69 

Bunsen,  Professor,  and  Playfair,  61- 
63 

C. 

Canada  :  Playfair  receives  the  offer 
of  a  professorship  from,  58-60  ;  his 
first  visit  to,  247-50 ;  and  the  British 
Association,  345-46  ;  Playfair's 
visit  to,  in  1895,  402-4. 

Cantor,  Low  &  Co.,  the  Calcutta 
house  which  Playfair  joined,  41 

Carnegie,  Mr,  and  an  arbitration 
treaty  between  Great  Britain  and 
the  United  States,  365 

Cattle  Plague,  Royal  Commission  on 
the,  192-93,  203-4 

Cezarevitch  (the  present  Czar),  Play- 
fair and  the,  395 

Chadwick,  Sir  Edwin,  and  sanitary 
reform,  64  ;  and  the  sanitary  con- 
dition of  Paris,  162 

Chairman  and  Deputy-Speaker,  Play- 
fair's tenure  of  the  office  of,  291- 
97,  301,  302-10,  312-17 

Chamberlain,  the  Right  Hon.  Joseph, 
and  the  Aged  Poor  Commission, 
397,  398,  399,  400 ;  and  the  Vene- 
zuelan question,  416-26 

Chaplin,  the  Right  Hon.  Henry,  and 
Playfair,  310-12 

Chartist  agitation,  The,  103-4 

Chemical  Society,  Playfair  President 
of,  179  ;  invited  to  a  dinner  to  the 
past  Presidents  of,  464-65 

Chemistry  :  Playfair's  boyish  experi- 
ments in,  33  ;  wins  a  first  prize  in  ; 
his  favourite  study  at  Glasgow, 
36 ;  studies  it  at  Giessen  under 
Liebig,   42-43,   428 ;    is   appointed 


INDEX. 


473 


honorary  professor  of,  at  Man- 
chester, 56 ;  is  offered  a  professor- 
ship of,  at  Toronto,  58-60 ;  his 
researches  into  the  chemical 
operation  of  blast  furnaces  for 
iron  manufacture,  61-63,  43°  '•  n*s 
unsuccessful  candidature  for  the 
chair  of,  at  Edinburgh,  in  1844, 
66-67  •  pursues  his  work  in,  at 
Manchester,  67-68 ;  is  appointed 
Chemist  to  the  Geological  Survey, 
72  ;  his  researches  into  the  atomic 
volume  of  salts  and  into  the  "  nitro- 
prussides,"  92,  430 ;  his  inquiry 
into  the  best  coals  for  steam  navi- 
gation, and  into  accidents  in  coal 
mines,  95-97 ;  his  election  to  the 
chair  of,  at  Edinburgh,  in  1858, 
174-76,  429  ;  his  address  on  a  cen- 
tury of,  in  Edinburgh  University, 
180-81  (see  also  Chemical  Society) 

Chemists,  Playfair's  acquaintance 
with  famous,  51-52 

Chicago,  Playfair's  impressions  of, 
241-42 

Chief  Whip,  Playfair's  refusal  of  the 
post  of,  290-91,  301-2 

Christian,  H.R.H.  Prince,  friendly 
interest  of,  in  Playfair,  195 

Christison,  Sir  Robert,  40,  181,  182, 
186 

Church  of  England  Service,  Playfair 
on  the,  273 

Civil  Service  Commission,  Playfair 
President  of,  218-19 

Clare,  Peter,  Dr  Dalton's  "  Boswell," 

57 

Clark,  Sir  James,  Playfair's  friendship 
with,  91 

Cleveland,  President,  at  the  centenary 
celebration  of  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,  360  ;  on  an  arbitra- 
tion treaty  between  Great  Britain 
and  the  United  States,  366  ;  and 
the  Venezuelan  question,  414-15 

Coal  for  Steam  Navigation  (see  Steam 
Navigation) 

Coal  Mines,  Inquiries  into  the  causes 
of  accidents  in,  95-97 

Cobden  Club.  Playfair's  speech  at  the 
Jubilee  banquet  of,  458 

Cole,  Sir  Henry,  and  the  Great  Exhi- 
bition, 112,  114,  115,  117,  124, 142, 
143 ;  and  the  South  Kensington 
Museum,  150;  and  the  Inter- 
national Exhibition  of  1855,  162 

College  of  Civil  Engineers,  Putney, 
Playfair  a  professor  at,  95 

Commerce,  Effects  on,  of  the  applica- 
tions of  science  to,  438 


Consort,  H.R.H.  the  Prince,  the 
originator  of  the  Great  Exhibition, 
112,  121 ;  appoints  Playfair  a  Gen- 
tleman Usher ;  Playfair's  tribute 
to,  124  ;  and  the  Crystal  Palace, 
125  ;  and  the  disposal  of  the 
Great  Exhibition  surplus,  131-33, 

J35-36.  J37-39.  14°.  X4J  '■  and  the 
organisation  of  the  Science  and 
Art  Department,  150 ;  his  English 
attacked,  158 ;  Playfair  resigns 
the  post  of  Gentleman  Usher  to, 
178  ;  death  of,  188-89  J  funeral  of, 
190;  the  Coburg  statue  of ,  194  ;  the 
Scottish  memorial  of,  202-3 ;  his 
superiority  to  jealousy,  213  ;  and 
the  British  Association,  347  ;  the 
Te  Deum  of,  sung  at  the  Jubilee 
service,  356 ;  indebtedness  of  the 
nation  to,  in  connection  with  the 
Great  Exhibition  and  the  em- 
ployment   of    the    surplus    fund, 

452-53 

Crichton,  Mr,  master  of  the  St. 
Andrews  Parish  School,  29 

Crosse,  Mr,  and  spontaneous  genera- 
tion, 70-71 

Crown  Princess  of  Prussia,  see  Fred- 
erick, German  Empress 

Crum-Brown,  Professor,  on  Playfair's 
scientific  career  and  position,  428- 
30 

Crystal  Palace,  Opening  of,  125 

Cullen,  Cardinal,  an  opponent  of 
higher  education,  213 

D. 

Dalton,  Dr,  and  Playfair,  57-58  ;  75 

Dawson,  Sir  William,  and  the  British 
Association,  346 

Declaration  of  Independence,  Playfair 
represents  England  at  the  centen- 
ary celebration  of  the,  359-64 

De  la  Beche,  Sir  Henry,  43,  64,  72 ; 
interests  Dr  Buckland  in  Playfair, 
79-80 ;  seeks  to  procure  the  re- 
tirement of  Mr  Phillips  from  the 
Museum  of  Practical  Geology  in 
Playfair's  favour,  82-83  '•  an  aP_ 
preciation  of,  by  Playfair,  93  ;  95, 

96- XI3 

Dewar,  Professor,  a  pupil  of  Play- 
fair's, 93 ;  invites  Playfair  to  a 
dinner  to  the  past  Presidents  of 
the  Chemical  Society,  464-65 : 
condoles  with  Lady  Playfair  on 
her  husband's  death,  469-70 

Douglas,  Miss,  governess  of  Playfair, 
28-29 


474 


MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 


Dove,  the   meteorologist,  and  Play- 
fair,  44-45 
Ducie,  Lord,  his  model  farm,  70 
Dufferin,  Lord,  and  Playfair,  250 
Dufour,  Aries,  and  Playfair,  163 
Duncan,  Professor,  32-33 
Dundonald,  Lord    (Lord   Cochrane), 
scheme   of   for   taking   fortresses, 
160-61 ;  character  of,  161 ;  disgrace 
and  rehabilitation  of,  235-39 

E. 

Eastern  Question,  Playfair's  views 
on  the,  264,  266,  268,  274,  285 

Edinburgh,  The  Duke  of,  and  the 
Great  Exhibition,  122 ;  a  student 
in  Edinburgh  University,  187 

Edinburgh  Museum,  Foundation  of, 

151 

Edinburgh  University,  Playfair  a 
student  in,  38 ;  an  unsuccessful 
candidate  for  the  chair  of  Chemis- 
try in,  66-67  '•  appointed  Professor 
of  Chemistry  in,  174-76;  chief 
member  of  the  Senate  of,  in  1858, 
181-82 ;  reform  of,  183-85  ;  royal 
students  at,  187-88  ;  appreciation 
of  Playfair's  services  by  the 
Senate  of,  197-98  ;  representation 
of  in  Parliament,  conjointly  with 
St.  Andrews  University,  206,  209 ; 
Playfair  stands  for,  and  is  elected, 
207-8,  210  ;  Tory  character  of  the 
constituents  of,  210-11  ;  founda- 
tion of  a  chair  of  Geology  in,  222  ; 
Playfair's  seat  for  threatened, 
286-87,  288  ;  his  retirement  from 
the  representation  of,  338,  349 ; 
tercentenary  of,  344-45 

Emerson  and  Playfair,  240  ;  and 
Longfellow,  ib.  (footnote) 

Endowed  Schools,  Playfair  President 
of  a  Select  Committee  on,  214  ; 
member  of  a  Royal  Commission 
to  inquire  into,  354 

F. 

Faraday,  Professor,  Story  of,  about 
a  bag  of  powder,  95  ;  proposal  to 
make  him  a  Privy  Councillor,  156 

Fawcett,  Professor,  and  the  Irish 
University  question,  214-15  ;  and 
the  election  of  a  Liberal  leader  in 
the  Commons,  231-32 

Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society,  Playfair 
elected  a,  103 

Fitzwilliam,  Lord,  visited  by  Liebig 
and  Playfair,  71 


Follett,  Sir  W.  W.,  and  George 
Stephenson,  72-73 

"  Food  of  Man  in  relation  to  his 
Work,"  Playfair's  memoir  on,  195 

Forbes,  Professor  Edward,  a  fellow- 
student  of  Playfair's  at  Edin- 
burgh, 39  ;  93,  181 

Forbes,  Principal,  185-86 

Forster,  W.  E.,  and  the  Elementary 
Education  Act,  211-12  ;  his  claims 
to  the  Liberal  leadership  in  the 
Commons,  212,  226-33 

Frankland,  Sir  Edward,  a  pupil 
of  Playfair's,  93 ;  on  Playfair's 
investigations  into  the  best  coal 
for  steam  navigation,  430-31 

Frederick,  German  Emperor,  Death 
of,  377  ;  Playfair's  impressions  of, 

377-78 
Frederick,    German    Empress,    378  ; 

defends  Bismarck,  and  disclaims 

responsibility  for  the  publication 

of  the  Emperor's  diary,  379 
Fair     Trade,     Playfair's     arguments 

against,  367-71 
Free  Trade,   Playfair's   final   tribute 

to,  458-60 
"  Friends    in    Council,"    Society    of 

Political  Economists,  65 

G. 

Geffcken,  Professor,  and  the  publica- 
tion of  the  Emperor  Frederick's 
diary,  379 

Geological  Survey,  Playfair  appointed 
chemist  to  the,  72 

George  Eliot,  and  Playfair,  262,  276 

Giessen,  Playfair  studies  chemistry 
at,  42-43 

Gillespie,  Professor,  32 

Glamis  Castle  and  Manse,  31-32,  348 

Gladstone,  Mr,  and  the  Irish  Uni- 
versity question,  215-17  ;  his 
generosity  towards  Playfair  in 
nominating  him  Postmaster-Gen- 
eral, 217-18 ;  offers  him  the  post 
of  Chief  Whip,  and  then  that  of 
Chairman  and  Deputy-Speaker, 
290-91 ;  nominates  Professor  Owen 
for  a  knighthood,  327-28,  329; 
urges  Playfair  to  accept  the  Vice- 
Presidency  of  the  Council,  353 ; 
nominates  him  for  a  peerage,  385- 
86  ;  his  physical  hardihood  in  his 
old  age,  392 ;  Playfair  deeply 
affected  by  the  death  of,  465-66 

Goodsir,  Professor,  and  Plavfair,  39, 
181 

Gore     House     Estate,     Kensington, 


INDEX. 


475 


purchased  by  the  Royal  Commis- 
sioners of  the  1 85 1  Exhibition, 
140 

Graham,  Professor,  Playfair's  master 
in  Chemistry,  36,  38,  42 ;  as 
Master  of  the  Mint,  163 

Graham,  Sir  James,  and  the  Irish 
potato  famine,  99 

Grand  Committee's  system,  Play- 
fair's  connection  with  the,  300 

Grand  Cross  of  the  Bath,  Playfair 
receives  the,  401 

Grant,  Sir  Alexander,  appointed 
Principal  of  Edinburgh  Univer- 
sity, 186 

Granville,  Earl,  and  Playfair,  111, 
112,  113,  158-59 

Great  Exhibition,  The  (1851),  the 
leading  work  of  Playfair's  life, 
109  ;  the  starting-point  of  techni- 
cal education  in  England,  in  ;  a 
Royal  Commission  appointed  to 
organise  it ;  early  difficulties  of, 
1.12 ;  a  system  of  classification 
for,  1 15-16;  Paxton's  building  for, 
118;  scares  concerning,  118-20; 
opening  of,  120;  the  building  of 
removed  to  Sydenham,  125  ;  the 
Prince  Consort's  views  as  to  the 
disposal  of  the  surplus  of,  131-33  ; 
investment  of  the  surplus  of,  140- 
41  ;  results  of  the  investment,  452 
(see  also  Royal  Commission  of  the 
1851  Exhibition) 

Gregory,  Professor,  Playfair's  prede- 
cessor in  the  chair  of  Chemistry 
at  Edinburgh,  179-80 

Grevy,  President,  and  Playfair,  247 

H. 

Halfpenny  post-cards,  Playfair's  ad- 
vocacy of,  211 

Harben  Gold  Medal  of  the  Royal 
Institute  of  Public  Health,  Play- 
fair receives  the,  463 

Harcourt,  Sir  William,  and  Irish 
obstruction,  293 

Harrington  Estate,  Kensington,  pur- 
chased by  the  Royal  Commis- 
sioners of  the  1851  Exhibition, 
140 

Hartington,  Marquis  of  (Duke  of 
Devonshire),  Election  of  as  Liberal 
leader  in  the  Commons,  212,  226- 

33 
Harvard    University,    Playfair    and, 

345 
"  Hawarden    Kite,"    Playfair's     con- 
nection with  the,  342 


Hayes,  President,  and  Playfair,  244 
Health  of  Towns,  Royal  Commission 

on  the,  Playfair's  connection  with, 

64-66,  88-89 
Herring  Fishery,  Royal  Commission 

on  the,  190-91 
Holmes,  Colonel,  and  Playfair,  242- 

43.  252,  253 
Holmes,  Wendell,  240-41 
Home    Rule,   Playfair    and,   333-34, 

342-43 

I. 

Imperial  Federation,  Playfair's  sym- 
pathy with,  248 

Imperial  Institute,  Foundation  of 
the,  449-52 

Indian  Salt-tax,  Playfair  effects  a 
reduction  in  the,  245-46 

"  Inosculation  of  the  Arts  and 
Sciences,"  Playfair's  address  on, 
438-40 

International  Exhibition — of  1855, 
161-62  ;  of  1862,  191,  199  ;  of  1878, 
246-47,  260 ;  of  1888  (Glasgow), 
376-77  (see  also  Great  Exhibition) 

Irish  members,  Suspension  of  at 
Playfair's  instance,  292  ;  his  popu- 
larity with,  297,  325-26 

Irish  University  question,  Playfair 
and  the,  214-17 


J- 

Jones,  Owen,  and  the  International 
Exhibition  of  1862,  191 

Joule,  Playfair's  recollections  of,  73- 
75  ;  experiments  of  in  association 
with  Playfair,  92 

Jubilee  celebrations,  Playfair's  con- 
nection with  the,  354-59 


K. 

Kane,  Sir  Robert,  98 

Knight    Commander    of    the    Bath, 

Playfair  appointed  a,  297,  402 
Kolbe,    Professor,    an     assistant     of 

Playfair's,  93 


L. 

Labour   riots   at    Clitheroe   in    1842, 

55-56 
Lancashire,  Playfair's  report  on  the 

sanitation  of  the  large  towns  in 

65-66 
Leeds  (see  South  Leeds) 


476 


MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 


Letters,  and  Extracts  from  letters, 
from — 

Aberdare,  Lord,  to  Playfair,  on  the 
Aged  Poor  Commission,  398-99 

Balfour,  Professor,  to  Playfair, 
protesting  against  the  latter's 
supporting  Irish  Church  Dis- 
establishment, 207-8 

Bayard,  Mr  T.  F.,  American  Am- 
bassador, to  Playfair,  on  the 
Venezuelan  question,  418,  420, 
422-23 

Beche,  Sir  H.  de  la,  to  Buckland, 
on  the  subject  of  a  public  appoint- 
ment for  Playfair,  79-80,  82-83 

Blackie,  Professor,  to  Playfair,  on 
"  Teaching  Universities  and  Ex- 
amining Boards,"  224 

Brand,  Mr  Speaker,  to  Playfair, 
on  the  latter's  resignation  of  the 
Chairmanship,  296-97 

Bright,  John,  to  Playfair,  compli- 
menting him  on  a  speech  on 
Fair  Trade,  368 

Buckland,  Dean,  to  Sir  Robert 
Peel,  recommending  Playfair  for 
a  public  appointment,  77-78 

Chamberlain,  the  Right  Hon. 
Joseph,  to  Playfair,  on  the 
Venezuelan  question,  419-20, 
420,  421-22,  423-25 

Chaplin,  the  Right  Hon.  Henry, 
to  Playfair,  on  the  proceedings 
taken  to  combat  obstruction, 
311-12 

Christian,  H.R.H.  Prince,  to 
Playfair,  asking  him  to  retain 
the  post  of  hon.  secretary  of  the 
Royal  Commission  of  the  1851 
Exhibition,  334-35  ;  on  the  death 
of  the  Emperor  Frederick,  377 

Coleridge,  Sir  J.  D.,  to  Playfair, 
on  the  Tichborne  case,  226 

Consort,  H.R.H.  the  Prince,  to 
Playfair,  offering  to  appoint  him 
a  Gentleman  Usher,  123-24 

Dewar,  Professor,  to  Playfair,  in- 
viting him  to  a  dinner  as  a  past- 
president  of  the  Chemical  So- 
ciety, 464-65  ;  to  Lady  Playfair 
on  her  husband's  death,  469-70 

Dundonald,  Lord,  to  Playfair, 
sending  him  the  second  volume 
of  his  Autobiography,  237-38 

Faraday,  Professor,  to  Playfair, 
offering  him  a  Professorship  at 
Toronto,  58-59 ;  acknowledging 
the  receipt  of  a  box  of  the  new 
matches,  165-66  ;  undertaking  to 
act  as  a  reference  in  connection 


Letters  (continued) : — 

with  his  candidature  for  the 
Chair  of  Chemistry  at  Edin- 
burgh, 176 

Fawcett,  Professor,  to  Playfair,  on 
the  election  of  Liberal  leader  in 
the  Commons,  231-32 

Frankland,  Professor  (Sir  Edward), 
to  Playfair,  testifying  to  the 
latter's  competence  for  the  Chair 
of     Chemistry     at    Edinburgh, 

175-76 

Gladstone,  Mr,  to  Playfair,  on  the 
latter's  services  as  Chairman  and 
Deputy-Speaker,  295-96  ;  on  his 
resignation  of  the  post,  308-9 ; 
announcing  his  successor,  309  ; 
on  making  Professor  Owen  a 
K.C.B.,  329  ;  on  Playfair's 
address  "  On  Industrial  Com- 
petition and  Commercial  Free- 
dom," 369-70;  explaining  why 
he  is  not  asked  to  join  the  Cabi- 
net, and  offering  to  nominate 
him  for  a  peerage,  385-86 ; 
offering  him  the  post  of  a  Lord- 
in-Waiting  to  the  Queen,  392-93 

Graham,  Professor,  to  Playfair,  on 
the  latter's  intention  to  study 
under  Liebig,  45-46 

Granville,  Earl,  to  Playfair,  on  the 
election  of  Liberal  leader  in  the 
Commons,  229,  230-31,  232 

Greeley,  Isabel,  to  Playfair,  en- 
closing letter  from  Edith 
Thomas,  374-75 

Grey,  Colonel,  to  Playfair,  on  the 
Great  Exhibition,  126,  128-30; 
on  the  organisation  of  a  system 
of  technical  education,  137-38  ; 
on  the  Report  of  the  Exhibition 
Commissioners,  139 ;  sending 
portraits  of  the  Royal  children, 
146;  on  the  proposed  School  of 
Practical  Science,  146-47;  on  the 
arrangements  for  the  Prince 
Consort's  visit  to  Birmingham, 
147-48;  on  the  report  of  H.R.H. 's 
speech,  148  :  on  the  creation  of 
an  order  of  merit  for  men  of 
science,  164-65 ;  on  the  site  for 
the  Scottish  Memorial  of  the 
Prince  Consort,  202,  203 

Hartington,  Marquis  of  (Duke  of 
Devonshire),  to  Playfair,  on  the 
halfpenny  card  postage,  223 

Knollys,  Sir  Francis,  to  Playfair, 
asking  his  assistance  in  connec- 
tion with  the  proposed  Imperial 
Institute,  449-50 


INDEX. 


477 


Letters  (continued) : — 

Liebig,  Baron  von,  to  Playfair,  on 
the  translation  of  '  Agricultural 
Chemistry,'  46-51,  89,  90 ;  on 
the  writer's  work  in  connection 
with  agriculture,  167-68,  169-70 

Macdonald,  Mrs,  to  Mrs  Playfair, 
mother  of  Lyon,  26-27 

McKenzie,  The  Hon.  A.,  Canadian 
Premier,  to  Playfair,  on  the  Paris 
Exhibition  (1878),  and  on  Fenian 
raids,  261 

Murchison,  Sir  Roderick,  to  Play- 
fair, on  the  foundation  of  a 
Geological  Chair  in  Edinburgh 

•  University,  222 

Napier,  Admiral  Sir  Charles,  to 
Playfair,  on  iron  vessels  of  war, 
166 

Northcote,  Sir  Stafford  (Earl  of 
Iddesleigh),  to  Playfair,  on  the 
latter's  resignation  of  the  Chair- 
manship, 296 

Otway,  Sir  Arthur,  to  Playfair, 
congratulating  him  on  "the 
evident  sense  of  the  House," 
310 

O'Reilly,  Mr  John  Boyle,  to  Play- 
fair, acknowledging  the  latter's 
support  of  his  request  for  per- 
mission to  visit  Canada  and 
Great  Britain,  326-27 

Owen,  Professor,  to  Playfair,  on 
the  proposal  that  the  writer 
should  be  made  a  K.C.B., 
327-28 

Peel,  Sir  Robert,  to  Playfair, 
inviting  him  to  Drayton  Manor, 
80-81;  to  the  Prince  Consort,  on 
the  Irish  famine,  87;  to  Playfair, 
on  the  Irish  potato  famine,  99- 
100,  108 

Phipps,  Sir  Charles,  to  Playfair, 
on  the  disposal  of  the  Great 
Exhibition  surplus,  135-36 ;  re- 
questing Playfair  to  withdraw 
his  resignation  as  Gentleman 
Usher,  177  ;  on  the  death  of  the 
Prince  Consort,  189 

Playfair,  Lyon,  to  his  father  (at 
the  age  of  six),  25-26;  to  Pro- 
fessor Dewar,  concerning  Joule, 
73-75 ;  to  Dean  Buckland,  on 
the  offer  of  a  Canadian  pro- 
fessorship, 84-86 ;  to  James 
Young,  suggesting  the  manufac- 
ture of  petroleum,  102  ;  to 
Colonel  Grey,  on  the  Great 
Exhibition,  127-28;  to  Sir  H. 
de  la  Beche,  on  the  employment 


Letters  (continued)  : — 

of  the  Great  Exhibition  surplus, 
134-35  ;  to  Professor  Frankland, 
inviting  a  testimonial,  174-75  ; 
to  Colonel  Grey,  resigning  his 
post  as  Gentleman  Usher,  177 ; 
to  the  same,  on  scientific  in- 
struction for  the  Prince  of 
Wales,  200-1  ;  to  his  daughter 
Jessie  (Mrs  Macgregor  Stewart), 
on  his  voyage  to  America,  251- 
52  ;  to  the  same,  on  his  experi- 
ences in  Canada,  252-54 ;  to 
Mrs  Oakes,  on  his  reception  in 
the  United  States,  254-55 ;  to 
his  son,  on  his  visit  to  the  State 
Lunatic  Asylum  near  Washing- 
ton and  to  a  negro  camp  for 
worship,  255-57  ;  to  his  daughter 
Jessie,  on  his  visit  to  Lafayette 
College,  257-58  ;  to  the  same,  on 
the  death  of  his  son's  wife,  and 
on  the  Ladies'  College  at  Pough- 
keepsie,  258-59  ;  to  the  same,  on 
a  dinner  at  Dean  Stanley's,  262  ; 
to  Miss  Edith  Russell  and  her 
family,  on  a  visit  to  Liverpool, 
262-63  ;  to  the  same,  on  a  visit 
to  Mr  (Sir  Mountstuart)  Grant- 
Duff,  263 ;  to  the  same,  on  the 
feeling  against  Russia  in  1878, 
264  ;  to  the  same,  on  his  engage- 
ments as  a  Member  of  Parlia- 
ment, 264-65  ;  to  the  same,  on 
the  danger  of  war  with  Russia, 
265-66 ;  to  the  same,  on  the 
Manchester  Water  Supply  Bill, 
266-67,  267-68,  270-71  ;  to  the 
same,  on  a  visit  to  Ramsgate, 
268-70 ;  to  the  same,  on  an 
invitation  to  be  Vice-President 
of  a  society  for  promoting 
falconry,  on  the  Church  of 
England  service,  etc.,  271-73  ; 
to  the  same,  on  a  visit  to  Sir 
John  and  Lady  Lubbock,  etc., 
273-74  ;  to  the  same,  on  inter- 
course with  the  Prince  of  Wales 
in  Paris,  274-75  ;  to  the  same, 
on  the  International  Exhibition 
of  1878,  275,  275-76;  to  the 
same,  on  talks  with  the  Crown 
Princess  of  Germany  (the  Em- 
press Frederick)  and  George 
Eliot,  276 ;  to  the  same,  on  a 
trip  to  Antwerp,  276-77  ;  to  the 
same,  on  an  excursion  in  the 
Hartz  Mountains,  277-78,  278- 
80  ;  to  the  same,  on  a  visit  to 
Sir  Joseph  and  Lady  Hooker, 


478 


MEMOIRS   OF  LYON   PLAYFAIR. 


Letters  (continued): — 

280 ;  to  the  same,  on  meeting 
the  King  of  Bonny  and  the 
black  Bishop  of  Hayti  at  Dean 
Stanley's,  280-81  ;  to  the  same, 
on  a  visit  to  Mr  Goschen,  a 
dinner  with  medical  men,  etc., 
282 ;  to  Miss  Alice  Russell,  on 
the  voyage  back  to  England 
(1878),  282-83;  to  his  wife,  on 
his  prospects  of  re-election  for 
Edinburgh  and  St.  Andrews 
Universities,  286-87,  2%7>  288- 
289  ;  to  the  same,  on  an  evening 
with  St.  Andrews  students,  287- 
88 ;  to  the  same,  on  a  visit  to 
Lord  and  Lady  Rosebery  at 
Dalmeny,  289-90;  to  Mr  Speaker 
Brand, enclosing  a  memorandum 
defending  his  measures  against 
obstruction,  303 ;  to  Mr  Chaplin, 
on  "  the  general  sense  of  the 
House  "  as  to  the  existence 
of  obstruction,  310-11  ;  to  his 
wife,  on  obstruction  and  the 
probable  close  of  the  session, 
313,  313-14,  314.  V4-i5<  3!5-16. 
316,  316-17  ;  to  the  same,  on  a 
visit  to  Walmer  Castle,  317  ;  to 
S.  H.  Russell,  Esq.,  on  the  pro- 
bable destiny  of  the  British  in 
Africa,  318 ;  to  the  same,  on 
Northcote's  budget,  ib. ;  to  Miss 
Alice  Russell,  on  his  having 
been  beset  by  "  confidence " 
men,  319  ;  to  S.  H.  Russell,  Esq., 
on  obstruction  and  the  state  of 
Ireland,  319-20  ;  to  the  same,  on 
the  "Skirmishing  Fund,"  321  ; 
to  Mrs  Russell,  in  view  of 
Christmas,  322 ;  to  Mr  Glad- 
stone, on  the  Bill  to  create  a 
Minister  for  Scotland,  335-37  ; 
to  S.  H.  Russell,  Esq,,  announc- 
ing his  retirement  from  his  con- 
stituency, 337-38  ;  to  his  son,  on 
his  change  of  constituency,  351 ; 
to  S.  H.  Russell,  Esq.,  on  the 
prospect  of  the  Liberals  at  the 
end  of  1885,  352  ;  to  the  same, 
on  his  being  appointed  Vice- 
President  of  the  Council,  352- 
53  ;  to  Mr  and  Mrs  Russell,  on 
returning  to  England,  353 ;  to 
his  sister-in-law,  relating  a  meet- 
ing with  Rustem  Pasha  and  Sir 
Edward  Bradford,  374  ;  to  Mr 
Gladstone,  in  reply  to  the  offer 
to  nominate  him  for  a  peerage, 
386-87  ;  to  Sir  Henry  Ponsonby, 


Letters  (continued) : — 

expressing  his  gratitude  to  the 
Queen  for  the  honour  of  a 
peerage,  387  ;  to  his  son,  on  the 
disaster  at  the  Mauritius,  389- 
90  ;  to  the  same,  describing  his 
re-election  for  South  Leeds, 
390-91  ;  to  Sir  Lambert  Play- 
fair,  giving  an  instance  of  Mr 
Gladstone's  physical  hardihood, 
392 ;  to  his  wife,  describing  a 
dinner  with  the  Queen  and 
service  in  the  Mausoleum,  393- 
94 ;  to  the  same,  recounting  a 
Napoleonic  story,  394-95 ;  to 
the  same,  on  another  dinner 
with  the  Queen,  395  ;  to  his  son, 
explaining  why  he  declined  to 
go  to  Ottawa  as  Imperial  repre- 
sentative, 396  ;  to  the  Hon. 
Mrs  R.  M.  Stewart,  on  the 
discovery  that  he  had  never 
been  knighted,  402 ;  to  his  son, 
on  his  recent  visit  to  Canada, 
402-3  ;  to  S.  H.  Russell,  Esq.,  on 
the  movement  for  founding  the 
Imperial  Institute,  409-10 ;  to 
Mr  and  Mrs  Russell,  on  leaving 
America  after  his  annual  visit, 

410  ;  to  Mrs  Russell,  from 
Sandringham,  410-11  ;  to  S.  H. 
Russell,  Esq.,  on  his  article  on 
American  finance ;  to  the  same 
on  his  projected  visit  to  Nahant, 

411  ;  to  Mr  and  Mrs  Russell, 
describing  his  taking  his  seat  in 
the  House  of  Lords,  412-13  ;  to 
Mrs  Russell,  on  his  official  work ; 
to  S.  H.  Russell,  Esq.,  on  a 
dinner  at  Windsor  Castle,  413  ; 
to  Mrs  Russell,  on  his  being 
made  a  G.C.B.,  414 ;  to  the  Times, 
suggesting  the  completion  of 
the  South  Kensington  Museum, 
454-55  ;  to  Sir  Lambert  Play- 
fair,  on  the  latter's  leaving 
Algiers,  461-62 ;  to  his  son,  on 
receiving  the  Harben  Gold 
Medal,  462-63;  to  Dr  W.  R. 
Smith, acknowledging  the  Medal, 
463-64 ;  to  Mrs  Gladstone,  on 
Mr  Gladstone's  death,  466 

Plunket,  Hon.  David,  to  Playfair, 
en  "Teaching  Universities  and 
Examining  Boards,"  223-24 

Ponsonby,  Sir  Henry,  to  Playfair, 
acknowledging  his  letter  of 
thanks  to  the  Queen  for  the 
honour  of  a  peerage,  387 

Rathbone,    Air    W.,    to    Playfair, 


INDEX. 


479 


Letters  (continued)  — 

announcing  the  foundation  of 
Playfair  Scholarships  for  Girls, 
260 

Rosebery,  Earl  of,  to  Playfair, 
proposing  to  nominate  him  for 
a  G.C.B.,  401  ;  to  Lady  Play- 
fair, on  her  husband's  death,46a. 

Sandford,  Sir  Francis,  to  Playfair, 
requesting  him  to  superintend 
the  Jury  Department  of  the 
International  Exhibition  of 
1862,  199 

Simon,  Sir  John,  to  Playfair,  on 
their  work  for  the  Public  Health, 

■    461 

Thomas,  Edith,  to  Playfair,  thank- 
ing him  for  the  gift  of  a  ring, 

375 
Wales,  H.R.H.  the  Prince  of,  to 
Playfair,  on  his  resignation  as 
honorary  secretary  of  the  Royal 
Commission   of    1851,    445 ;    to 
Lady  Playfair  on  her  husband's 
death,  468-69 
Wolverton,  Lord,  to  Playfair,  on 
the  election  of  Liberal  leader  in 
the  Commons,  230 
Liberalism,  Playfair's,  206-7,  284 
Liebig,  Baron  von,  Playfair  studies 
chemistry  under,  42-43  ;  his  work 
on  Agricultural  Chemistry  trans- 
lated    by     Playfair,     43  ;      visits 
England,   49,   50 ;   makes  a   tour 
through   England   and    Scotland, 
69-71 ;     on     phosphorus    disease 
among  match-makers,  166 
Lincoln,    Lord  (afterwards   Duke   of 

Newcastle),  59,  64,  81 
Lindley,  Professor,  98 
Liverpool,    Playfair   and    the    water 

supply  of,  107 
Livingstone,  David,  a  fellow-student 

of  Playfair's,  36-37 
Livingstone,  Mrs  David,  37 
Lockyer,  Professor  Sir  Norman,  94  ; 
draws  up  the  scheme  of  scholar- 
ships adopted  by  the  Royal  Com- 
missioners of  the  1851  Exhibition, 
442 
Logan,    Sir    William,  and   the   Geo- 
logical Survey  of  Canada,  345-46 
London     University,     the     Imperial 
Institute  the  future  home  of  the, 

452 
Longfellow  and  Playfair,  240 
Lord-in-Waiting  to  the  Queen,  Play- 
fair appointed  a,   392 ;  his  duties 
as,    393-95  ;    end   of  his   term    of 
office  as,  401 


Lome,  Marquis  of,  adjudicates  in  the 
Statist  competition,  457 

Louis  Napoleon  and  the  Royal  Com- 
missioners of  the  1 85 1  Exhibition, 
122 

Lowe,  Robert  (Lord  Sherbrooke),  and 
the  Cattle  Plague  Commission, 
192-93  ;  and  the  Irish  University 
question,  217 

Lunatic  Asylum,  State,  near  Washing- 
ton, Playfair's  visit  to,  244-45 

Lyell,  Sir  Charles,  accidental  meeting 
with  Playfair,  35-36  ;  95 

Lyell,  Sir  Leonard  and  Lady,  and 
Playfair,  32,  348 

Lyon,  Margaret,  grandmother  of 
Playfair,  3-4,  16 

Lyon,  Rev.  Dr,  uncle  of  Playfair,  31 


M. 


Macdonald,  Mrs,  aunt  of  Playfair, 
takes  charge  of  him  and  his 
brother,  16;  her  doubts  concerning 
Balaam's  ass,  16-17  ;  her  estimate 
of  Playfair's  character  as  achild,  26 
Macdonald,  Sir  John,  and  Playfair, 

249 
Macvicar,  Rev  Dr,  and  his   "popular 

lectures,"  22-23 
McKenzie,   the   Hon.   A.,    Canadian 
Prime  Minister,  and  Playfair,  249 
Manchester,    Intellectual    society    in 
when  Playfair  lived  there,  73-75 

Water  Supply  (Thirlmere) 

Bill,  Playfair  and  the,  246,  266-68, 
270-71,  272-73,  274 
Margarine,  Playfair's  share  in  legal- 
ising the  sale  of,  372 
Medical       Reform      Bill,       Playfair 

pilots  the,  343,  350 
Memoranda  by 

Consort,  H.R.H.   the  Prince,  on 
the  disposal  of  the  Great  Exhi- 
bition surplus,  131-133 
Owen,  Professor,  on  his  claims  to 

be  made  a  K.C.B.,  328-29 
Peel ,  Sir  Robert ,  and  Lord  Lincoln , 
conditionally  undertaking  to  give 
Playfair  a  post  at  the  Museum 
of  Practical  Geology,  81 
Playfair,  Lyon,  defending  his 
measures  against  obstruction, 
303-6  ;  on  the  Aged  Poor  Com- 
mission, 399-400  ;  to  Mr  Bayard 
on  the  Venezuelan  question, 
417  ;  to  Prince  Christian  on  the 
policy  and  reorganisation  of 
the   Board    of    Management   of 


480 


MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 


the   Royal   Commission  of  the 
1 85 1  Exhibition,  446-48  ;  on  the 
proposed      Imperial     Institute, 
450-51 
"  M.  E.  O."  brotherhood,  The,  39 
Mercer,  Mr,  of  the  Oakenshaw  Works, 

54-55.  73 

Middle  Ages,  Playfair  on  the  filthy 
habits  of  people  in  the,  434 

Midland  Institute,  Birmingham,  Play- 
fair's  presidential  address  to  the, 
212 

Millingtonjean  Ann.Playfair's  second 
wife,  164  ;  death  of,  235 

Minister  for  Scotland,  Playfair's  views 
as  to  the  creation  of  a,  335-37 

Mitscherlich,  discoverer  of  isom- 
erism, and  Playfair,  44-45 

Monarchy,  Playfair  on  the  cost  of, 
382 

Monroe  doctrine,  Playfair  on  the,  417 

Montreal,  Playfair's  reception  at,  247 

Murchison,  Sir  Roderick,  founds  a 
Chair  of  Geology  in  Edinburgh 
University,  222 

Museum  of  PracticalGeology,  develop- 
ment of,  under  Sir  H.  de  la  Beche, 


93 


N. 


Nahant,  near  Boston,  U.S.A.,  Play- 
fair's first  visit  to,  239  ;  description 
of,  405-6 ;  the  distinguished  men 
whom  Playfair  met  at,  406 

Napoleon  III.  and  the  sanitary  con- 
dition of  Paris,  162 

Napoleonic  story,  A,  395 

Negro  camp  for  worship,  Playfair's 
visit  to,  256-57 

Northcote,  Sir  Stafford  (first  Earl  of 
Iddesleigh),  and  Playfair,  293, 
296,  347 

Norton,  The  Hon.  Caroline,  157-58 


O. 

OakenshawWorks,  Clitheroe,  attacked 
by  labour  rioters,  54-56 

Oakes,  James,  brother-in-law  of  Play- 
fair, 38 

Oakes,  Margaret,  Playfair's  first  wife, 
101  ;  death  of,  164  (footnote) 

Oakes,  Mr,  father-in-law  of  Playfair, 
61-62 

Obstruction,  Irish,  Playfair  and,  291-    j 
97,  302-10,  314-17 

Oersted,     the     founder     of    electro-    [ 
magnetism,  101 


O'Reilly,  Mr  John  Boyle,  and  Playfair, 

326-27 
Owen,  Sir  Richard,  64 ;  bestowal  of 

a  knighthood  upon,  327-29 


P. 


Palmerston,  Lord,  and  the  Prince 
Consort's  English,  158  ;  and 
Wheatstone's  cipher,  159 

Parkes,  Dr,  and  the  Cattle  Plague 
Commission,  192 

Peel,  Captain,  son-in-law  of  Playfair, 
101 

Peel,  Sir  Robert,  invites  Playfair  to 
Drayton  Manor,  and  dissuades  him 
from  going  to  Canada,  59-60  ; 
becomes  his  friend,  60-61  ;  his 
interest  in  the  agricultural  revival, 
68-69  '>  among  the  philosophers, 
72-73 ;  his  memorandum  under- 
taking to  give  Playfair  the  rever- 
sion of  Mr  Phillips's  appointment, 
81 ;  his  desire  to  procure  Playfair's 
services  for  the  public,  84 ;  his 
high  estimate  of  Playfair,  86-87  '• 
commissions  Playfair  and  others 
to  report  on  the  Irish  potato 
famine,  98;  his  prompt  action,  99- 
100  ;  induces  Playfair  to  become  a 
Special  Commissioner  of  the  Great 
Exhibition,  113;  is  consulted  by 
Playfair  in  serious  difficulties,  114 

Peerage,  Playfair  raised  to  the,  386- 
388 

Pepper,  Professor,  and  Playfair's 
speech  at  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence Centenary,  361 

Peto,  Sir  Morton,  and  the  Great 
Exhibition,  117 

Petroleum,  the  "salt  of  the  earth" 
of  the  Bible,  38 

Industry,    The,    due    to 

Playfair's  suggestion,  102-3 

Phillips,  Mr,  of  the  Museum  of 
Practical  Geology,  81-82,  83 

Playfair,  Colonel  Sir  Lambert,  second 
brother  of  Lyon,  23 

Playfair,  Ethel  (the  Hon.  Mrs  Bloom- 
field),  daughter  of  Lyon,  164 

Playfair,  George,  elder  brother  of 
Lyon,  23,  33,  34 

Playfair,  George,  father  of  Lyon,  4, 16 ; 
his  relations  with  his  son,  20-22  ; 
41-42 

Playfair,  James,  uncle  of  Lyon,  16, 
19-20,  34 

Playfair,  Janet  (nee  Ross),  mother  of 
Lyon,  22,  24,  33 


INDEX. 


481 


Play  fair,  Jessie  (Hon.  Mrs  Macgregor 
Stewart),  daughter  of  Lyon,  101 

Playfair,  Lady  (Miss  Edith  Russell), 
makes  Playfair's  acquaintance  in 
1875,  239;  her  marriage  to  him, 
247,  262 ;  her  sympathy  with  all 
his  enthusiasms  and  interests,  284 ; 
receives  a  silver  blotting  case  and 
envelope  case  from  the  electors 
of  South  Leeds,  388,  391,  405, 
407,  412,  462,  466;  receives  letters 
of  condolence  from  the  Prince  of 
Wales,  Lord  Rosebery,  and  Pro- 
fessor Dewar  on  her  husband's 
death,  468-70 

Playfair,  Lyon,  first  Lord  Playfair, 
his  youth  spent  at  St.  Andrews, 
4-5  ;  his  services  to  his  generation, 
6 ;  his  work  as  a  sanitary  re- 
former, 7-8  ;  as  an  educationist ; 
his  association  with  Prince  Albert, 
8  ;  his  work  as  an  economist,  9- 
10  ;  as  a  politician,  10  ;  his 
personal  characteristics,  10-11  ; 
named  after  his  grandmother,  nee 
Lyon ;  birth  of,  at  Chunar,  Ben- 
gal ;  sent  to  St.  Andrews  to  be 
brought  up  by  Mrs  Macdonald, 
16;  loses  his  communion  "token," 
19-20  ;  makes  the  acquaintance  of 
his  father,  21  ;  his  governesses, 
28-29 ;  attends  the  parish  school, 
29  ;  is  sent  to  the  grammar-school 
of  St.  Andrews,  30 ;  spends  his 
holidays  with  the  Rev.  Dr  Lyon 
at  Glamis,  31 ;  enters  St.  Andrews 
University,  32  ;  his  boyish  experi- 
ments in  chemistry,  33  ;  enters 
his  uncle  James's  office  in  Glas- 
gow ;  his  stratagem  for  frightening 
off  marauders,  34  ;  makes  the 
acquaintance  of  Sir  Charles  and 
Lady  Lyell,  35-36 ;  studies  medi- 
cine at  the  Andersonian  College, 
Glasgow,  36 ;  has  for  fellow- 
students  David  Livingstone  and 
James  Young,  36-38 ;  continues 
his  studies  at  Edinburgh  Univer- 
sity, 38;  joins  the  "  M.  E.  O." 
brotherhood,  39 ;  abandons  the 
study  of  medicine  and  voyages  to 
Calcutta,  40-41  ;  enters  a  mercan- 
tile office  there,  41 ;  returns  and 
studies  under  Professor  Graham 
in  London,  42  ;  becomes  a  favour- 
ite pupil  of  Liebig  at  Giessen ;  is 
made  Doctor  of  Philosophy,  and 
undertakes  the  translation  of 
Liebig's  work  on  agricultural 
chemistry,    42-43  ;     is    appointed 


Playfair,  Lyon  (continued)  : — 

chemical  manager  of  print  works 
at  Clitheroe,  43-44  ;  visits  Berlin, 
44  ;  his  later  recollections  of  great 
chemists,  51-52  ;  parleys  with 
labour  rioters  at  Clitheroe,  and 
becomes  their  hostage,  55-56  ; 
appointed  Honorary  Professor  of 
Chemistry  at  Manchester  ;  re- 
signs his  Clitheroe  appointment, 
56 ;  comes  into  contact  with  Dr 
Dalton,  57  ;  receives  from  Fara- 
day an  offer  of  the  Professorship 
of  Chemistry  at  Toronto,  58-59  ; 
is  invited  to  Drayton  Manor  by 
Peel  and  dissuaded  from  accept- 
ing the  offer,  59-60,  80-81 ;  refuses 
to  accept  from  Peel  a  memor- 
andum undertaking  to  give  him  a 
suitable  post,  60  ;  becomes  a 
frequent  visitor  of  Peel's,  61  ;  co- 
operates with  Professor  Bunsen 
in  an  inquiry  into  the  chemical 
operation  of  blast  furnaces  for  the 
manufacture  of  iron,  61-62 ;  is 
nominated  a  member  of  the  Royal 
Commission  on  the  Health  of 
Towns,  64-66,  88-89  '•  an  unsuc- 
cessful candidate  for  the  Chair 
of  Chemistry  at  Edinburgh,  66-67; 
publishes   a   paper   "On   Sleep," 

67  ;  visits  Earl  Spencer  at  Althorp, 
and    has    a   midnight   adventure, 

68  ;  meets  Dr  Buckland  at  Dray- 
ton Manor,  69  ;  makes  an  excur- 
sion through  England  and  Scot- 
land with  Liebig  and  others,  69- 
72 ;  visits  Mr  Crosse,  and  declares 
an  "electrical  production"  to  be 
a  woodlouse,  70-71  ;  is  appointed 
Chemist  to  the  Geological  Survey, 
and  meets  his  future  chiefs  at 
Drayton  Manor,  72  ;  Peel's  high 
estimate  of,  86-87  '•  receives  a  visit 
from  Sir  James  Clark,  91-92 ; 
prosecutes  his  chemical  re- 
searches, 92-93  ;  his  distinguished 
pupils,  93  ;  discovers  Buckingham 
Palace  to  be  in  an  insanitary 
condition,  94  ;  prosecutes  inquiries 
into  the  best  coals  for  steam 
navigation,  the  causes  of  accidents 
in  mines,  and  the  potato  famine 
in  Ireland,  95-101 ;  marries  Miss 
Margaret  Oakes,  101  ;  initiates 
the  petroleum  industries,  102-3  • 
assists  the  Board  of  Health  to 
stay  the  cholera  ;  is  elected  F.R.S., 
103  ;  is  enrolled  a  special  con- 
stable in  the  Chartist  panic,  104  ; 


F   F 


482 


MEMOIRS  OF  LYON  PLAYFAIR. 


Playfair,  Lyon  (continued) : — 

goes  to  Paris  as  a  special  corre- 
spondent .  during  the  revolution 
(1848),  105-6;  meets  Louis  Blanc, 
106 ;  appointed  a  Special  Com- 
missioner and  member  of  the 
Executive  of  the  Great  Exhibi- 
tion, 1 12-14  I  persuades  Sir  Henry 
Cole  not  to  withdraw  from  the 
enterprise,  115;  draws  up  a  new 
classification  for  the  Exhibition, 
116;  organises  the  juries;  calls 
the  Queen's  attention  to  one  of 
the  exhibits,  121 ;  is  entertained  by 
Louis  Napoleon  at  St.  Cloud,  122  ; 
is  brought  into  frequent  contact 
with  the  Royal  children ;  accepts 
a  C.B.,  but  declines  the  Legion 
of  Honour,  123  ;  is  appointed  a 
Gentleman  Usher  in  the  Prince 
Consort's  household,  123-24  ;  ad- 
vises the  Prince  Consort  as  to  the 
employment  of  the  Exhibition 
surplus,  136;  drafts  the  Commis- 
sioners' Report,  139;  is  appointed 
secretary  of  the  Science  and  Art 
Department,  142 ;  organises  the 
Royal  College  of  Science,  143  ;  is 
elected  a  member  of  the  Athen- 
aeum Club,  144 ;  his  association 
with  the  Prince  Consort,  145-48 ; 
travels  on  the  Continent  to  inquire 
into  technical  instruction,  149 ; 
arranges  the  Food  Collection  for 
the  South  Kensington  Museum, 
150;  negotiates  the  establishment 
of  the  Edinburgh  Museum,  151  ; 
begins  a  crusade  in  favour  of 
technical  education,  152 ;  is  pre- 
sent at  the  Duke  of  Wellington's 
funeral,  153-54 ;  his  resemblance 
to  Sir  Charles  Wheatstone,  154- 
55  ;  his  intercourse  with  Babbage, 
155-56  ;  urges  the  Prince  Consort 
to  bestow  honours  on  men  of 
science,  156  ;  his  friendship  with 
Lord  and  Lady  Ashburton,  157  ; 
meets  the  Hon.  Caroline  Norton, 
158  ;  is  present  at  a  Cabinet 
banquet  at  Lord  Granville's,  and 
explains  Wheatstone's  symmetri- 
cal cipher,  158-59 ;  suggests  ap- 
plications of  science  to  the  pur- 
poses of  war,  159-60  ;  reports 
against  a  scheme  of  Lord  Dun- 
donald's  for  taking  fortresses 
without  siege,  160-61  ;  appointed 
a  commissioner  of  the  Interna- 
tional Exhibition  of  1855,  and 
makes  the  acquaintance  of  French 


Playfair,  Lyon  {continued):  — 

statesmen  and  publicists,  161-62  ; 
his  friendship  with  Aries  Dufour ; 
declines  to  stand  for  the  Master- 
ship of  the  Mint,  163  ;  withdraws 
his  candidature  on  a  later  occa- 
sion ;  marries  Miss  Millington, 
164  ;  sends  Faraday  a  box  of  the 
new  matches,  165  ;  his  contempt 
for  misplaced  humanitarianism  in 
war,  167 ;  is  complimented  by 
Liebig  on  his  lecture  on  agricul- 
tural experiments,  169 ;  a  resume 
of  his  career  up  to  this  point, 
171-73  ;  his  passion  for  scientific 
research,  173-74  ;  again  stands 
for  the  Professorship  of  Chemistry 
in  Edinburgh  University,  174 ; 
receives  a  testimonial  from  Pro- 
fessor Frankland,  175-76 ;  Faraday 
one  of  his  references ;  receives 
the  appointment,  176;  resigns  his 
post  in  the  Prince  Consort's 
Household,  177-78  ;  his  style  as  a 
scientific  lecturer,  179  ;  his  intro- 
ductory lecture  from  the  Chair, 
180 ;  a  peacemaker  among  his 
colleagues,  181-83;  dissuades  Sir 
James  Simpson  from  a  dangerous 
experiment,  183  ;  introduces  re- 
forms into  the  University,  183 
85 ;  arbitrates  between  Principal 
Brewster  and  Principal  Forbes, 
185-86  ;  refuses  to  stand  for  the 
post  of  Principal  of  Edinburgh 
University,  186  ;  receives  the 
Prince  of  Wales  as  a  student,  187  ; 
is  commanded  by  the  Queen  to 
place  himself  at  the  service  of  the 
exiled  French  princes,  188  ;  hears 
the  news  of  the  Prince  Consort's 
death,  188 ;  is  present  at  the 
funeral,  190  ;  is  President  of  the 
Royal  Commission  on  Herring 
Fisheries,  190-91  ;  appoints  the 
jurors  for  the  International  Ex- 
hibition of  1 852,  and  receives 
honours  from  foreign  sovereigns, 
191-92 ;  serves  on  the  Royal  Com- 
mission on  the  Cattle  Plague,  and 
incurs  unpopularity,  192-93  ;  visits 
Kranichstein,  and  helps  the  Prin- 
cess Alice  to  re-lay  the  luncheon- 
table,  193-94 ;  is  commanded  to 
Coburg  for  the  unveiling  of  a 
statue  of  the  Prince  Consort,  194- 
95  ;  publishes  a  memoir  on  Human 
Food,  195 ;  his  intercourse  with 
Dr  John  Brown,  the  Marquis  of 
Tweeddale,    and    Lady   Ruthven, 


INDEX. 


483 


Playfair,  Lyon  (continued) : — 

!95-96;  his  services  to  the  Uni- 
versity recognised  by  the  Senatus 
Academicus,  197-98  ;  his  plenary 
powers  in  connection  with  the 
International  Exhibition  of  1862, 
199-200 ;  gives  the  Prince  of  Wales 
an  object  lesson,  201 ;  his  advice 
as  to  the  design  and  site  for  the 
Scottish  Memorial  of  the  Prince 
Consort,  202-3  ;  bears  the  brunt 
of  the  unpopularity  of  the  Cattle 
Plague  Commission  ;  the  Princess 
Alice's  reference  to  him  in  a  letter 
to  the  Queen,  204  ;  becomes  a 
Liberal  candidate  for  Edinburgh 
and  St.  Andrews  Universities,  206 ; 
his  election ;  is  appointed  one  of 
the  Commissioners  of  the  185 1  Ex- 
hibition, 208 ;  the  position  he  took 
in  the  House  of  Commons,  209 ; 
an  advanced  Liberal  representing 
a  Tory  seat,  210-11;  success  of 
his  first  speech  in  the  House  ;  the 
founder  of  the  post-card  system  ; 
supports  Forster's  Elementary 
Education  Bill,  211  ;  asks  Forster 
to  withdraw  his  claims  to  the 
leadership  of  the  Liberal  party 
in  the  House,  212  ;  delivers  an 
address  at  Birmingham  as  Presi- 
dent   of    the    Midland    Institute, 

212  ;  alleged  to  be  the  author  of 
the    Prince    Consort's    speeches, 

213  ;  defends  advanced  education, 
213-14 ;  supports  Fawcett's  Bill 
for  opening  Trinity  College, 
Dublin,  to  Roman  Catholics,  214- 
15 ;  attacks  Mr  Gladstone's  Irish 
University  Bill,  216-17 ;  is  ap- 
pointed Postmaster-General,  217- 
18  ;  retires  with  the  Government 
a  few  months  afterwards,  218 ; 
presides  over  the  Civil  Service 
Commission,  and  draws  up  the 
"  Play  fair  Scheme,"  218-19  ;  ad- 
vocates the  appointment  of  a 
Minister  of  Education,  220 ;  op- 
poses the  abolition  of  vivisection, 
220-21  ;  reports  upon  reforms  in 
the  Scotch  Universities,  221  ; 
takes  part  in  the  movement  for 
founding  a  Chair  of  Geology  at 
Edinburgh,  222  ;  the  downfall  of 
the  Gladstone  Government  a 
check  to  his  political  career,  224- 
25 ;  suggests  evidence  in  the 
Tichborne  case,  226 ;  his  services 
to  the  Liberal  party  on  Mr  Glad- 
stone's  retirement   in   preventing 


F   F 


Playfair,  Lyon  (continued) : — 

a  schism,  226-33  '•  his  domestic 
affections,  234-35 ;  death  of  his 
second  wife,  235 ;  effects  the  re- 
habilitation of  Lord  Dundonald, 
235-39 ;  visits  the  United  States, 
and  forms  a  friendship  with  the 
Russell  family,  239 ;  his  inter- 
course with  the  celebrities  of 
Boston,  239-41  ;  visits  Chicago, 
241-42 ;  travels  in  a  train  which 
narrowly  escapes  disaster,  243-44  ; 
visits  Washington,  244 ;  goes  over 
the  Lunatic  Asylum,  244-45  '•  a<3- 
vocates  reduction  of  the  Indian 
salt-tax,  245-46  ;  presides  over  the 
Manchester  Water  Supply  Bill 
Committee,  246  ;  acts  as  Chairman 
of  the  Finance  Committee  of  the 
International  Exhibition  of  1878  ; 
revisits  America,  and  marries  Miss 
Edith  Russell,  247  ;  meets  with  a 
cordial  reception  in  Canada,  247- 
50  ;  his  interest  in  and  relations 
with  the  United  States,  250-51  ; 
his  social  charm,  283 ;  his  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Russell  a  new 
epoch  in  his  life,  284  ;  his  sym- 
pathy with  Mr  Gladstone's  views 
on  the  Eastern  Question,  285  ;  his 
political  views  generally,  285-86 ; 
his  seat  threatened,  286-90 ;  his 
re-election,  290;  declines  the  office 
of  Chief  Whip,  and  is  appointed 
Chairman  and  Deputy-Speaker, 
290-91  ;  has  to  deal  with  Irish 
obstruction,  291-93 ;  names  the 
leading  obstructionists  for  suspen- 
sion, 294  ;  decides  to  resign  at  the 
end  of  the  session,  295  ;  receives 
tributes  from  Mr  Gladstone,  Sir 
Stafford  Northcote,  and  Mr 
Speaker  Brand,  295-97 ;  the  re- 
action after  his  retirement ;  is  ap- 
pointed a  K.C.B.,  297  ;  opposes  the 
anti-vivisectionists  and  anti-vac  - 
cinationists,  297-99  ;  remarkable 
effect  of  his  speech  on  vaccina- 
tion, 300  ;  presides  over  the  panel 
in  connection  with  Grand  Com- 
mittees, 300 ;  why  he  refused  the 
post  of  Chief  Whip,  301-2  ;  his 
anti-obstruction  measures,  302-8  ; 
the  exacting  nature  of  his  duties  as 
Chairman  and  Deputy-Speaker, 
312-17;  his  loyalty  when  out  of 
office,  322-24 ;  his  support  of 
vaccination  and  vivisection,  324- 
25  ;  advises  the  Government  to 
allow  Mr  Boyle  O'Reilly  to  visit 

* 


484 


MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 


Playfair,   Lyon  {continued)  : — 

his  native  country,  326  ;  urges  Mr 
Gladstone  to  make  Professor 
Owen  a  K.C.B.,  327 ;  why  he 
never  received  a  Cabinet  appoint- 
ment, 333 ;  his  acceptance  of 
Home  Rule,  333-34 ;  undertakes 
the  honorary  secretaryship  of  the 
Commission  of  the  1851  Exhibi- 
tion, 334-35  ;  his  views  as  to 
the  creation  of  a  Minister  for 
Scotland,  335-37 ;  resolves  upon 
a  change  of  constituency,  337, 
349 ;  is  overwhelmed  with  offers, 
and  chooses  South  Leeds,  338 ; 
his  suitability  for  his  new  con- 
stituency, 338-40  ;  his  brilliant 
victory,  341  ;  his  connection  with 
the  "  Hawarden  Kite,"  342  ;  ac- 
cepts the  Vice-Presidency  of  the 
Council,  343,  349 ;  induces  the 
Queen  to  recognise  the  tercenten- 
ary of  Edinburgh  University,  344- 
45  ;  receives  an  LL.D.  from 
Harvard ;  attends  the  Montreal 
meeting  of  the  British  Asso- 
ciation, 345 ;  suggests  the  first 
honorary  recognition  of  Colonial 
science,  345-46  ;  presides  over  the 
British  Association  at  Aberdeen ; 
visits  the  Queen  at  Balmoral, 
and  is  presented  with  a  copy  of 
Her  Majesty's  works  on  her  High- 
land home,  347 ;  visits  Glamis 
Castle,  348  ;  carries  through  a 
Bill  for  the  reform  of  the  medi- 
cal profession ;  is  re-elected  for 
South  Leeds,  350 ;  Mr  Gladstone's 
urgent  desire  that  he  should  take 
office,  353  ;  his  work  in  connection 
with  the  Queen's  Jubilee,  354 ; 
declines  to  preside  over  a  com- 
mittee on  naval  cutlasses,  355 ; 
his  impressions  of  the  Jubilee 
Service,  355-57 ;  meets  the  King 
and  Queen  of  Portugal ;  receives 
a  Jubilee  Medal,  359  ;  represents 
England  at  the  centenary  celebra- 
tion of  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, 359-64  ;  presents  to 
President  Cleveland  the  English 
memorial  in  favour  of  a  treaty  of 
arbitration  between  England  and 
America,  364-67 ;  opposes  Fair 
Trade,  367-71  ;  his  forecast  of  the 
Presidential  Election  of  1892,  371- 
72  ;  supports  the  legalisation  of 
the  sale  of  margarine,  372  ;  gives 
a  finger-ring  to  a  deaf,  dumb, 
and   blind   child   at  Boston,  who 


Playfair,  Lyon  {continued)  : — 

recognises  him  by  touch  a  year 
afterwards,  374-75  ;  participates 
in  the  opening  of  the  Inter- 
national Exhibition  at  Glasgow 
(1888),  and  is  taken  for  a  State 
prisoner,  376-77  ;  is  present  at  a 
gathering  of  foreign  missionaries 
at  Dollis  Hill,  377-78  ;  his  recol- 
lections of  the  Emperor  Frederick 
of  Germany,  378  ;  meets  the 
widowed  Empress  at  Sandring- 
ham,  378-79  ;  resigns  the  honorary- 
secretaryship  of  the  Royal  Com- 
mission of  the  1851  Exhibition, 
and  receives  a  presentation  of 
plate  from  the  Prince  of  Wales, 
379-81  ;  supports  the  proposal  to 
increase  the  grant  to  the  Prince, 
and  wins  over  his  constituents, 
381-83  ;  is  again  elected  for  South 
Leeds,  384,  390-91  ;  is  offered  a 
peerage,  and  created  Baron  Play- 
fair of  St.  Andrews,  385-88  ;  re- 
ceives the  congratulations  of  his 
South  Leeds  constituents,  388  ;  is 
appointed  a  Lord-in-Waiting  to 
the  Queen,  392 ;  his  life  at 
Windsor  Castle,  393-96  ;  is  obliged 
to  decline  several  appointments, 
396 ;  secures  a  place  of  burial 
for  himself  and  his  family  at  St. 
Andrews,  396-97,  412 ;  succeeds 
Lord  Aberdare  as  Chairman  of 
the  Aged  Poor  Commission,  and 
revises  the  report,  397-400;  re- 
ceives the  Grand  Cross  of  the 
Bath,  400-1,  414;  is  found  never 
to  have  been  knighted,  402  ;  pays 
another  visit  to  Boston  and 
Canada,  402-4  ;  his  visits  to 
Nahant,  405-6  ;  his  close  relations 
with  the  United  States,  406-7  : 
compares  John  Bull  with  Brother 
Jonathan,  407 ;  his  advocacy  of 
arbitration  between  the  two 
nations,  408-9 ;  his  affection  for 
the  Russells,  409-14 ;  his  inter- 
vention in  the  Venezuelan  ques- 
tion, 415-16;  hands  to  the  Ameri- 
can Ambassador  a  memorandum 
as  a  suggested  basis  of  agreement, 
416-18  ;  his  correspondence  with 
the  ambassador  and  with  Mr 
Chamberlain,  419-25 ;  his  share 
in  the  agreement  ultimately 
reached,  426 ;  Professor  Crum- 
Brown's  survey  of  his  career  as 
a  man  of  science,  428-30  ;  Sir 
Edward  Frankland's  testimony  to 


INDEX. 


485 


Playfair,  Lyon  (continued) : — 

the  thoroughness  of  his  investiga- 
tions into  the  best  coal  for  the 
Royal  Navy,  430-31 ;  extracts  from 
his  '  Subjects  of  Social  Welfare,' 
431-40;  his  work  as  a  member  of 
the  Royal  Commission  of  the 
1851  Exhibition  reviewed,  440-52  ; 
crowns  his  work  by  suggesting 
the  completion  of  the  South 
Kensington  Museum,  453-56 ;  with 
Lord  Lome,  adjudicates  in  the 
Statist  competition,  457-58 ;  his 
speech  at  the  Jubilee  banquet  of 
■  the  Cobden  Club,  458-60 ;  his 
gradual  withdrawal  from  his  ap- 
pointments, 460 ;  failure  of  his 
health,  462  ;  receives  the  Harben 
Gold  Medal  from  the  Royal 
Institute  of  Public  Health,  463; 
winters  at  Torquay,  and  returns 
to  town  for  a  dinner  to  the  past- 
presidents  of  the  Chemical  So- 
ciety, 464-65  ;  his  illness,  465  ;  is 
deeply  affected  by  Mr  Gladstone's 
death,  465-66  ;  his  death ;  the 
depth  of  his  family  affections, 
467  ;  his  generosity,  468  ;  is  hon- 
oured with  a  public  funeral  at  St. 
Andrews,  470 

Playfair,  Major  George  (second  Lord 
Playfair),  son  of  Lyon,  ior 

Playfair,  Octavius,  fourth  brother  of 
Lyon,  23 

Playfair,  Principal,  grandfather  of 
Lyon,  3-4,  15-16 

Playfair,  Professor,  a  kinsman  of  Lyon, 
anecdotes  of,  14-15 

Playfair,  Sir  Hugh,  "  the  Major," 
uncle  of  Lyon,  4, 16  ;  the  beautifier 
of  St.  Andrews  and  preserver  of 
the  links,  17-19 

Playfair,  William,  third  brother  of 
Lyon, 23 

Playfair,  William,  uncle  of  Lyon,  4,  16 

"  Playfair  Scheme,"  The,  219 

Plavfair  Scholarships,  foundation  of,    ! 
260 

Playfairs,  The,  3-4,  12-16,  23-24 

Playfere,  old  form  of  the  name  Play- 
fair, 12 

Political  Economist,  Playfair  as  a, 
440 

Portugal,  Playfair  meets  the  King  and 
Queen  of,  359 

Postmaster-General,  Playfair's  ap- 
pointment as,  217-18,  224-25 

Potato  famine  in  Ireland,  Playfair's 
report  on  the,  98-100 

Potatoes  as  a  diet,  100-1 


Poughkeepsie  Ladies'  College,  Play- 
fair's visit  to,  259 

Primrose  Works,  Clitheroe,  Playfair 
appointed  chemical    manager  of, 

43-  53-56 
Public  Health,  Playfair  on  the,  433 

Q- 

Queen  Victoria  (see  Victoria,  Her 
Majesty  Queen) 

R. 
Ramsay,  Mrs,  mother  of  Sir  Andrew 

Ramsay,  35 
Ramsay,   Sir  Andrew,  and  Playfair, 

91.  93 

Rathbone,  Mr  W.,  founds  Playfair 
Scholarships,  260 

Rayleigh,  Lord,  and  the  British 
Association,  345,  347 

Redcliffe,  Lord  Stratford  de,  and  the 
International  Exhibition  of  1862, 
191 

Rosebery,  Countess  of,  376 

Rosebery,  Earl  of,  and  Playfair,  289, 
376  ;  recommends  Playfair  for  the 
Grand  Cross  of  the  Bath,  401  ; 
nominates  him  to  adjudicate  in  the 
Statist  competition,  457  ;  condoles 
with  Lady  Playfair  on  her  hus- 
band's death,  469 

Royal  Agricultural  Society,  The,  and 
Playfair,  82-83 

Royal  Albert  Hall  Committee,  Play- 
fair Vice-President  of  the,  449 

Royal  College  of  Science,  141,  143 

Royal  Commission  of  the  1851  Exhi- 
bition, Playfair  a  member  of,  208, 
441 ;  honorary  secretary  of,  334-35, 
441 ;  his  resignation  of  the  honorary 
secretaryship  of,  379-81 ;  results  of 
his  administration,  380-81,  441  ; 
inquiry  into  the  affairs  of,  by  a 
committee,  441  ;  adoption  of  a 
scheme  of  science  scholarships  by, 
442-49 ;  connection  of  with  the 
Imperial  Institute,  449-52  (see  also 
Great  Exhibition) 

Royal  Family,  Children  of  the,  and 
Playfair,  122,  123,  357 

Roval  Grants,  Playfair's  defence  of, 
382 

Roze,  Heinrich,  and  Playfair,  44-45 

R ticker,  Professor,  unsuccessful  can- 
didature of  for  North  Leeds  in 
1885. 341 

Russell,  Miss  Edith  (see Playfair,  Lady) 

Russell,  Mr  S.  H.  (father-in-law  of 
Playfair),     meets     him     at     The 


486 


MEMOIRS   OF   LYON   PLAYFAIR. 


Hague ;  is  visited  by  him  at  Nahant 

(near  Boston),  239  ;  Playfair's  later 

visits  to,  405,  et  passim 
Rustem  Pasha,  Turkish  Ambassador, 

attacked  by  a  bear,  374 
Ruthven,  Lady,  196 


Sabbatarianism  at  Glasgow  in  Play- 
fair's  youth,  20 

St.  Andrews  seventy  years  ago,  1-2  ; 
a  favourite  place  of  residence  for 
retired  officers  and  East  Indian 
officials,  2  ;  the  abode  of  the  Play- 
fairs,  3-4 ;  Lyon  Playfair's  con- 
nection with,  4-5,  16;  beautified 
by  Sir  Hugh  Playfair,  17-19 ; 
Playfair  created  Baron  of,  387-88  ; 
secures  a  family  burial  place  at, 
396-97  ;  his  burial  at,  470 

St.  Andrews  Grammar  School,  Play- 
fair a  pupil   in,  30;    "king"  of, 

30 

St.  Andrews  University,  its  primacy 
among  Scottish  universities,  2  ; 
Playfair  a  student  at,  32-33 ; 
secures  representation  in  Parlia- 
ment, conjointly  with  Edinburgh 
University,  206,  209  ;  the  Senatus 
Academicus  of  attends  Playfair's 
funeral,  470  (see  also  Edinburgh 
University) 

Sandwich  Islands,  Playfair  and  the 
Queen  of  the,  358 

Sanitary  Reform,  Playfair's  connec- 
tion with,  64-66,  87-88,  103,  432-35, 
460-61,  463-64 

Science  and  Art  Department,  forma- 
tion of  the,  141-42,  149-50 

Science,  Playfair's  position  and  career 
as  a  man  of,  427-40  (see  also  Tech- 
nical and  Scientific  Education) 

Scotch  Universities  Commission, 
Playfair  and  the,  221 

Sherbrooke,  Lord  (see  Lowe,  Robert) 

Simon,  Sir  John,  and  the  Institute  of 
Public  Health,  460-61 

Simpson,  Sir  James,  181,  1S2-83,  186 

"  Sleep,"  Playfair's  paper  on,  67 

Smith,  Dr  Angus,  56,  65 

Smith,  Dr  W.  R.,  President  of  the 
Royal  Institute  of  Public  Health, 

463 
South  Kensington  Museum,  141  ; 
origin  of,  142-43,  150;  completion 
of  suggested  by  Playfair,  454  ; 
foundation-stone  of  the  new  build- 
ings for  (the  Victoria  and  Albert 
Museum)  laid  by  the  Queen,  456 


South  Leeds,  Playfair's  election  for, 
in  1885,  338-42,  349;  his  re-election 
for  in  1 886,  350  ;  defends  his  vote 
on  Royal  grants  before  the  con- 
stituents of,  383 ;  his  re-election 
for,  in  1892,  384,  390-91  ;  con- 
gratulations of,  on  his  elevation  to 
the  peerage,  388  ;  his  pain  at  part- 
ing from,  388,  389 

Spencer,  Earl  (Lord  Al thorp),  and 
Playfair,  68 

Spencer,  Earl  (the  present),  and  the 
Cattle  Plague  Commission,  192 

Statist  competition  for  the  best  essay 
on  the  means  of  drawing  together 
England  and  the  Colonies,  Play- 
fair adjudicates  in,  457-58 

Steam  Navigation,  Playfair's  inquiry 
into  the  best  coals  for,  95 

Stephenson,  George,  64  ;  his  daring 
speculation  as  to  the  original 
source  of  power  of  the  steam- 
engine,  72-73 

Stewart,  General  Robert  Macgregor 
(son-in-law  of  Playfair),  101 

Strathmore,   Earls    of,   and    Glamis 

Castle,  31-32 
,    Earl  and   Countess   of, 

348. 376 

'  Subjects  of  Social  Welfare,'  431-40 

Swing,  Professor,  Sermon  of,  on  Dar- 
winism, 241 

Swinton,  Professor  Campbell,  and  the 
representation  of  Edinburgh  and 
St.  Andrews  Universities,  209-10 

Syme,  Professor,  40,  181,  182,  1S6 


"Teaching  Universities  and  Examin- 
ing Boards,"  Playfair's  pamphlet 
on,  223-24 

Technical  and  Scientific  Education, 
the  Great  Exhibition  and,  no ;  the 
Prince  Consort's  scheme  for,  131- 
:  33,  141-43  ;  Playfair  and,  134-35, 
137-38,  140",  142-44,  149,  152-53. 
214,  370-71  ;  adoption  of  a  scheme 
of,  by  the  Royal  Commissioners  of 
the  1851  Exhibition,  442-49 

Thirlmere,  Lake  (see  Manchester 
Water  Supply  Bill) 

Thomas,  Edith,  and  Playfair,  374-75 

Thomson,  Mr,  of  Clitheroe,  engages 
Playfair  as  chemical  manager,  43  ; 
his  appreciation  of  punctuality, 
44 ;  a  sketch  of  his  character,  53- 
54  ;  his  family,  54  ;  his  death,  56 

Tichborne  case,  Playfair  and  the, 
225-2G 


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